PSG vs Liverpool: Five things we learned as Neymar wrecks Jurgen Klopp's European hopes

PSG held off a late surge from Liverpool to clinch a vital 2-1 victory in Paris.

The home side dominated the early stages of the match, capitalising on Liverpool’s leaking defence as Juan Bernat and Neymar scored within the opening half hour.

A needless slide tackle from Angel Di Maria offered Jurgen Klopp's side a lifeline on the stroke of half-time from the penalty spot, but ultimately the class of the hosts had already set them adrift as they ground out a crucial victory to keep their Champion's League hopes alive and leave Liverpool's in near ruin.

Here’s five things we learnt:

Marco Veratti is irreplaceable in PSG’s midfield…

In the reverse tie ago Marco Verratti was suspended from the Parisian’s midfield. And without the ceaseless ticking passes of the little Italian maestro Liverpool were able to overrun the half-spaces in midfield. Yet, here, at the Stade de France, the diminutive Italian immediately took the delicate poise of a ballet dancer on Pointe. Orchestrating the centre of the pitch while making considerable more passes and taking more touches than any other outfield player. Only when crunching into Joe Gomez, did that light foothold become a graceless stamp, but that has always been as asset of the incendiary Italian’s.

…And that early dominance would pay dividends

It only took 15 minutes for PSG to break the deadlock and capitalise on Liverpool’s absent start. And for near the entire first half, Jurgen Klopp’s side were swatted and bullied off the ball and out of the match almost at will.

So overbearing were PSG, that even Neymar was incited to get in on the act, putting his body on the line without a typically feral yelp as he dared a hoofing challenge – a sight so rare the RSPCA are reportedly seeking to tag it with an endangered label… although the Brazilian did then feel a need to replace his footwear a few minutes later. The second being bundled home on the half hour mark only affirming their imposition on the match.

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…Yet mindless moments cost PSG again

But while PSG should have ousted Liverpool in that rampant first-half, instead, once again, the type of mindless blip in concentration which has cost the hosts in this competition in previous years reared its head again. A senseless slide tackle by Angel Di Maria scything down Sadio Mane to concede a penalty in the last-gasps before half-time, which was suitably converted by James Milner to change the perspective of the match going into the break. It gave Liverpool hope in a game they had up until then been deprived of and PSG almost committed the same sin again, just ten minutes later, when Mane was barged over the box in a near identical position only to see his appeals turned down this time.

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Gomez and Lovren are a frail fortification…

Jurgen Klopp chose to drop Trent Alexander-Arnold for this tie, moving Joe Gomez to right back in a bid to barricade the left-flank where the formidable half-billion pound partnership of Neymar and Mbappe happily congregate.

Yet, in doing so, Klopp disrupted what has become one of the best centre-back relationships in European football between Gomez and Virgil van Dijk. Dejan Lovren was brought in next to Gomez on the right-hand side of defence, which would then, in turn, become playground to PSG who created both their first-half goals via the merry-go-round.

First when Verratti slipped invisibly into the half-space between the hapless pair to set up Juan Bernat for the opener, and then again for the second when Mbappe ran at the back-peddling Croatian like a cheetah charging at a three-legged zebra before putting it on a plate for Cavani and Neymar.

Hosts dangerously rest on laurels…

But after such a superior start to this match, PSG inevitably dropped deeper in the second half as they sought to protect a lead which would keep them in the Champions League. And it was only thanks to that improved defence, featuring 22-year-old Thilo Kehrer and the brilliant Presnel Kimpembe whose only a year older, which allowed them to remain resilient despite Liverpool's attacking threat become more and more menacing as time wore on. And Virgil van Dijk would do well to look to his opposite number Thiago Silva, whose virtuoso performance harked back to finer days, to see how to endure as one of the world's best centre-backs.