Liverpool left with mountain to climb after 2-0 defeat to PSG

Paris St Germain ran out deserved 2-0 victors against Arne Slot’s stumbling side in the quarter-final first leg in Paris

The holders hosted the six-time European champions as these teams met in the knockout phase for the second successive season, albeit the Reds arrived in a far worse state than last year’s last-16 encounter.

Liverpool’s humiliating 4-0 FA Cup exit at Manchester City increased the pressure on Slot and his side ahead of the trip to Paris, where Desire Doue’s deflected early effort and an excellent Khvicha Kvaratskhelia goal secured victory.

Luis Enrique’s side are in control of the tie heading into Tuesday’s return fixture at Anfield, where the French champions would boast an even greater advantage were it not for some poor finishing and important stops by goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Liverpool showed spirit – something captain Virgil van Dijk felt they lacked at the Etihad Stadium – but were outclassed throughout by a PSG side who are well placed to win a fifth straight two-legged tie against English opposition.

“Tonight awaken the Hulk within you,” implored fans in a banner under an image of the superhero in PSG colours ripping apart the Liverpool badge as the teams emerged at a pulsing Parc des Princes.

Mohamed Salah and Curtis Jones were replaced by Jeremie Frimpong and Alexis Mac Allister as Slot plumped for a back three that the hosts probed from the outset and took 11 minutes to breach via a large slice luck.

Doue had started with confidence and was afforded time to get away a hopeful effort that deflected off Ryan Gravenberch and looped over Mamardashvili.

Liverpool did not unravel after that early setback but offered little by way of meaningful threat as PSG showed their qualities in and out of possession.

Mamardashvili stopped a deflected Kvaratskhelia strike finding the bottom corner with a strong hand and spread himself well when Doue was put in by Nuno Mendes shortly after.

Kvaratskhelia lasered into the side-netting as the Parisians continued to knock at the door, with the Liverpool goalkeeper denying a tame Ousmane Dembele effort at the end of a well-worked attack.

Joao Neves dragged wide at the end of a half in which Liverpool failed to register a shot, although Frimpong did slam just across the face of goal before offside was called.

Hugo Ekitike ballooned wide their first shot of the evening shortly after the restart but the pattern of play remained the same, as did PSG’s finishing.

Dembele thrashed over a glorious chance when found unmarked around the edge of the box after Mac Allister’s awful header gifted the hosts possession.

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