Missed chances haunt PSG as Liverpool steal narrow win in Paris | OneFootball

Liverpool should have been dead and buried in Paris. Instead, they are taking a 1-0 lead back to Anfield, thanks to a masterclass from Alisson Becker and a ruthless late finish from Harvey Elliott.Paris Saint-Germain dominated for long spells, carving Liverpool open time and again, but Luis Enrique’s side left the Parc des Princes with nothing. The home side had 18 shots, forced nine saves from Alisson, and saw a goal ruled out by the tightest of offsides. Somehow, they found themselves on the receiving end of a smash-and-grab defeat.Alisson was immense. Liverpool’s goalkeeper has not been as busy as usual this season, shielded by an improved defence. That was not the case in Paris, where he stood alone between PSG and a comfortable victory. His saves, particularly from Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, frustrated a team that had scored in their last 10 games.Arne Slot was honest in his assessment. “If we had a draw over here, we would have already been lucky,” he admitted. “They were the much better team today.” Even the Liverpool boss conceded his side were fortunate to escape without Ibrahima Konaté’s nudge on Bradley Barcola resulting in a red card.Liverpool had barely troubled Gianluigi Donnarumma all night. Then, in the 87th minute, Elliott changed everything. Seconds after coming on, he took Darwin Nunez’s pass and drilled a clinical shot past the Italian. It was Liverpool’s first and only shot on target. The stadium, deafening all night, was silenced in an instant.Elliott deserved his moment. Slot acknowledged his limited minutes and praised his attitude. “He is a good player, but he’s in competition with players I hardly take off,” he said, before applauding the midfielder’s persistence. “He just keeps on going.”For PSG, this was a game of missed chances and fine margins. They controlled possession, pressed Liverpool relentlessly, and dictated the tempo, yet they head to Anfield needing to win. Their speed and movement caused Liverpool endless problems, and Slot was in no doubt about the quality of the opposition. “Every underlying stat shows you they are the best team in the Champions League,” he said.The tie is far from over. Liverpool have the lead, but PSG will take confidence from their performance. Slot knows what awaits. “They’re not only going to play against us, they’re going to play against our fans,” he warned. “And we really need them.”Liverpool have one foot in the semi-finals, but Paris will come to Anfield believing they should still be in control.