Saved by Alisson: Slot must never pick 5/10 Liverpool duo together again
Smash and grab. Robbery. Whatever you want to call it. The result will show a 1-0 win for Liverpool and that’s all that matters, with Paris Saint-Germain’s first-leg dominance counting for little in the end.
Let’s face it, this was not vintage Arne Slot football, but with grit, fight – and a fair bit of fortune – the Merseysiders got the job done at the Parc des Princes, with this Champions League tussle now finely poised ahead of next week’s return tie at Anfield.
Such an outcome had looked unlikely for much of the encounter in the French capital, in truth, with the Ligue 1 leaders boasting 71% possession and totalling 27 shots in all, albeit while fashioning just three ‘big chances’.
Up against the heroic Alisson in the visiting goal – and with Ibrahima Konate escaping an early red card for a barge on Bradley Barcola – the Parisien giants simply couldn’t find a way through, having been ultimately punished at the death as substitute Harvey Elliott pounced to hand Slot’s side the advantage in the tie.
It was perhaps apt that on a night in which the likes of Mohamed Salah toiled, it was two men on the fringes who combined to put the Reds ahead, with Elliott meeting Darwin Nunez’s pass before calmly slotting past a sprawling Gigi Donnarumma.
That last-gasp strike certainly helped to spare a fair few blushes it must be said, as did the titanic display of the aforementioned Alisson in between the sticks…
Alisson's game in numbers vs PSG
It would have been easy to assume that the Brazilian was nearing the end of his time as Liverpool’s first-choice stopper, with injuries having handed able deputy Caoimhin Kelleher a far more prominent role in recent seasons, while the club also stepped up the succession plan with the astute signing of Giorgi Mamardashvili last summer.
90 minutes played
9 saves
1 punch
2.26 goals prevented
4 saves inside the box
44 touches
57% pass accuracy
10/22 long balls completed
4 clearances
9.4 match rating
On the evidence of Wednesday night’s showing, however, Alisson is going nowhere fast, having showcased a timely reminder of his undoubted quality after producing a string of standout saves in Paris.
The former Roma man notably denied Ousmane Dembele and the lively Barcola on the hour mark, before also keeping out Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s fizzing free-kick just after the break.
Among nine total saves for the 32-year-old was also another world-class stop to prevent Desire Doue from opening the scoring late on, with Liverpool’s number one having been a one-man wall at times up against the rampant hosts.
As such, while Elliott may have been the matchwinner it was Alisson who deservedly stole the headlines, with such an eye-catching performance having helped to cover up the woes of those ahead of him.
The Liverpool duo who could be on borrowed time
If Alisson proved to be the major positive for Liverpool on the night, then Slot won’t have to look far to find the key negatives, with the visitors’ attacking unit looking particularly blunt across the 90 minutes.
Performance in Numbers
Those woes – which saw the Reds record just two shots in total – were epitomised by the performances of both Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz, with neither man looking up to the task in the forward line.
In the case of Jota, the Portuguese marksman was hooked just after the hour mark having been restricted to just 30 touches in total, having also lost the ball on 11 occasions and won just three of his 12 total duels.
Branded with a 5/10 match rating by Liverpool World’s Will Rooney, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers man maintained his lengthy goal drought which stretches back to mid-January, having now netted just eight times in 26 games in 2024/25 to date.
Meanwhile, it was a similar story for Diaz on the left flank, with the Colombian speedster also handed a 5/10 rating by Rooney after looking rather off the boil prior to his late withdrawal, a fact encapsulated by his return of just 28 touches.
The former Porto winger also failed to register a single key pass and also lost 50% of his total duels, with Reds supporters likely to be eagerly awaiting the return of Cody Gakpo from his recent injury absence.
As broadcaster Nubaid Haroon noted, both Diaz and Jota looked to be “hiding” in the final third, with it coming to the stage in which Slot may wish to consider whether the pair can be selected alongside each other again.
FSG now ready £30m offer to sign "brilliant" star for Liverpool this summer
Liverpool are on the hunt for some exciting reinforcements once the window opens.
BySean Markus Clifford Mar 5, 2025