Just like everyone else who watched the game, Luis Enrique was at a loss to explain how Paris Saint-Germain lost to Liverpool on Wednesday. It was, as the Spaniard said, "a bit weird". The rampant hosts had 27 shots on goal, their overwhelmed opponents only two. And yet it was Liverpool who left Parc des Princes with a 1-0 lead to take into next week's second leg at Anfield.
Alisson Becker was obviously the Player of the Match, with the Brazilian making a remarkable nine saves, some of which were absolutely sensational. "Their goalkeeper was exceptional," Luis Enrique told reporters. "Alisson decided which way the game went. Liverpool have never played like this all season, and it's not because they chose to. It's because we made them. We were much superior."
Not in absolutely every way, though. For starters, Liverpool were as clinical as PSG were profligate. However, of even greater significance was the difference made by the two sides' substitutes.
While Desire Doue quickly got in on the act of trying to beat Alisson from distance, Goncalo Ramos and Warren Zaire-Emery didn't really make much of an impact. However, Darwin Nunez, Harvey Elliott, Curtis Jones and Wataru Endo all made their presence felt - with the first two combining for the game's only goal - and their contributions underlined that Liverpool's bench will have a key role to play in their treble bid...
