Liverpool 3-2 PsG

They played with a swagger and a burning desire

Liverpool are on the march once again. The road to Madrid promises to be some ride.

That cherished collection of unforgettable European nights at Anfield has a new addition after a thrilling last-gasp victory over Paris Saint-Germain.

Considering the calibre of the opposition, this was as good as anything Jurgen Klopp's side served up en route to the Champions League final in Kiev last May.

The Reds left it late to secure maximum points as substitute Roberto Firmino rammed home the winner in stoppage time to spark scenes of manic joy.

But it would have been a travesty if Liverpool had taken anything less from a breathtaking heavyweight contest with the French champions.

Some wondered how Klopp's men would handle the increased expectation levels having been the surprise package among Europe's elite last season. The answer here was emphatic.

They played with a swagger and a burning desire which a star-studded side – bankrolled by the petrodollars of Qatar – simply couldn't live with.

PSG's frontline of Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani cost £400million but what Klopp has created at Liverpool is priceless.

This is a proper team, functioning in all departments, with a special unity and spirit driving it on.

Once again Thomas Tuchel, who suffered similar heartbreak with Borussia Dortmund back in 2016, felt the full power of Anfield.

There were so many commanding performances in the Reds' Group C opener. James Milner, not content with beating Neymar's assists record in the competition last term, proceeded to out-shine the world's most expensive player on the big stage. The Brazilian will be seeing Milner in his nightmares.

Klopp got his selection spot on. Liverpool's midfield bossed proceedings with captain Jordan Henderson excelling on his return to the side and Gini Wijnaldum equally impressive.

Defensively, Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold did a magnificent job in stifling PSG's array of firepower.

At the other end, fears that the Reds would be wounded by the fact that Firmino was only fit enough for bench duty were eased by a resurgent Daniel Sturridge grasping his chance to shine.

The Reds striker marked his first Champions League start for the club with the opener in front of the Kop. When Milner doubled their account from the penalty spot, Liverpool were in dreamland but PSG rallied.

Thomas Meunier pulled one back and when Mbappe equalised late on it looked like being a tale of what might have been.

But that never-say-die spirit came to the fore as Firmino, who had spent Saturday evening in a London eye hospital, had the final word.

September 18, 2018

Napoli 1-0 Liverpool

Liverpool must dust themselves off and go again

This was a painful throwback to the days when Liverpool were also-rans in Europe.

Everything that has made Jurgen Klopp's side feared across the continent was conspicuous by its absence on a bleak night in Naples.

The decisive blow was landed late on as Lorenzo Insigne slid home a dramatic 90th minute winner to spark chaos inside a highly-charged Stadio San Paolo.

But the Reds could have no complaints. Only a mixture of good fortune, wasteful finishing and the heroics of Alisson Becker had enabled them to stay on level terms for that long.

Pity the travelling Kop who had run the gauntlet of hate to embark on Liverpool's first European away trip of the season.

Last season they basked in the glory of Klopp putting the Reds firmly back among Europe's elite en route to the Champions League final in Kiev.

They were treated to masterclass after masterclass as Liverpool blew teams away. However, that firepower, pace, vibrancy, guile and cohesiveness was all sadly lacking here.

Liverpool were abject from start to finish. It was hard to believe this was a team which had beaten Paris Saint-Germain a fortnight earlier and is level on points with Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table.

After such a promising start to the campaign both domestically and in Europe, standards slipped alarmingly. Alisson, Virgil van Dijk and the outstanding Joe Gomez aside, it was bleak.

Liverpool were vulnerable down the flanks, careless in midfield and toothless up front as they failed to register a single shot on target in Europe for the first time since 2012. To add to their woes, Klopp saw Naby Keita stretchered off with a back injury.

The Reds haven't performed this poorly on their travels in Europe since they lost away to Basel under Brendan Rodgers in 2014.

From sitting top of Group C to looking up at both Napoli and Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool have some serious work to do to ensure they advance to the knockout stages.

The stakes have been cranked up ahead of the upcoming double-header against Red Star Belgrade, who were routed 6-1 by PSG.

Liverpool must dust themselves off and go again. They have to prove this was a one-off.

The visitors kept on causing problems for themselves as they repeatedly coughed up possession cheaply. The pitch was woeful but it still didn't excuse the alarming lack of composure on display.

Napoli deserved it. For Liverpool, this has to be a wake-up call.

October 3, 2018

Liverpool 4-0 RED STAR

The Reds' attacking mojo has been rediscovered

On the night when the power went out, Liverpool ensured that Anfield was still lit up.

Their Champions League campaign was put back on track in style as Red Star Belgrade were comprehensively outclassed.

The Reds' attacking mojo has been rediscovered. Finally, this was Jurgen Klopp's side performing with the handbrake off and Kopites lapped it up.

The swagger and the fluency returned as an emphatic victory – coupled with Paris Saint-Germain's 2-2 draw with Napoli – lifted Liverpool to the top of Group C.

This was a night packed full of positives for Klopp as the frontline that fired the Reds to Kiev provided a timely reminder of what they are capable of.

Mohamed Salah has another record for his collection as he became the quickest player in Liverpool's history to reach a half century of goals. He marked his 65th appearance with a clinical double.

It's a remarkable achievement, especially considering the array of legends he has beaten to that milestone. The Egyptian winger is getting back to his brilliant best and that spells danger for defenders across the continent.

Roberto Firmino had gone six games without a goal and Sadio Mane had gone seven, but they put that right as belief coursed through their veins. It was the first time since the semi-final thrashing of Roma in April that Klopp's trusted trio had all got on the scoresheet.

There was plenty else to admire about the Reds – not least another majestic display from Xherdan Shaqiri.

Much was made about Liverpool's extravagant summer spending but at £13million he's proving to the bargain of the year.

Shaqiri is exactly what the Reds have been missing – a dazzling creative force.

With his quick feet, vision and technique, he's a joy to watch and he got Liverpool going after a difficult start.

Shaqiri has had his critics but they are being made to look increasingly foolish. He's contributed more to the Reds in the past week than Charlie Adam did in his entire Anfield career.

Anfield was plunged into darkness before kick-off with the club shop forced to shut and fans in the Main Stand unable to buy food or drink.

But there was no shortage of power on the field with Fabinho grasping his chance to shine in the absence of injured captain Jordan Henderson.

The £40million summer signing from Monaco excelled as he shut down space, snapped into tackles and surged forward with intent. This was a massive step forward for the Brazilian.

October 24, 2018

RED STAR 2-0 Liverpool

A soft centre and a pitiful lack of quality

'Welcome to hell' declared the headline in the Serbian newspaper Blic on matchday. It proved to be prophetic.

This was a dark, wretched night for Liverpool. In red-hot Belgrade, they froze.

As the mother of all parties got underway inside the raucous Rajko Mitić Stadium, Jurgen Klopp's players walked away with their heads bowed. It will be a quiet three-hour flight back to Merseyside.

Liverpool only had themselves to blame for a chastening defeat which wrecked their hopes of taking control of Group C in the Champions League.

A fortnight after dismantling Red Star at Anfield, Klopp's men were found wanting by the Serbian champions, who celebrated wildly after securing their first triumph at this level since 1992.

How was such a gulf in class bridged? The brutal reality is that Vladan Milojevic's side showed the greater heart, the greater fight, the greater passion.

Klopp had bullishly insisted that Liverpool would stand tall in the cauldron but instead they wilted. Far too many star names went AWOL.

The manager's decision to ring the changes backfired as the Reds delivered a disjointed and shoddy performance. Right through the spine of the team there was a soft centre and a pitiful lack of quality.

Striker Milan Pavkov, who cost 300,000 Euros from Radnicki, repaid that fee a few times over as he struck twice in the space of seven manic first-half minutes.

Liverpool recovered to dominate the second half but rarely looked like mounting a fightback. Where was the spark? Where was the creativity?

The names on the back of the shirts were the same but this was a world away from the thrilling brand of attacking football the Reds played en route to Kiev last term.

How they could have done with Xherdan Shaqiri, who Klopp had decided to leave at home.

It's also on nights like this that Liverpool really feel the absence of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Once again the centre of the park was an area of real concern.

Forty-five years ago Red Star Belgrade taught Bill Shankly's side a lesson when they knocked Liverpool out of the European Cup.

Now they have given last season's finalists a bloodied nose. The damage can still be repaired but Klopp needs to find a remedy for their travel sickness on the continent.

Having previously been beaten by Roma and Napoli, it's the first time Liverpool have lost three successive games on their travels in Europe's elite club competition since 1979.

November 6, 2018

PSG 2-1 Liverpool

Hopes of progress hang on a knife-edge

Prepare to be put through the wringer once again.

Liverpool have previous for doing things the hard way in the Champions League and now another nerve-shredding finale to the group stage lies ahead.

It's an all or nothing, do or die showdown with Napoli at Anfield on December 11. Ecstasy or agony – there will be no middle ground.

Beat Carlo Ancelotti's side and the Reds' place in the last 16 of Europe's elite club competition will be secure.

Fail and there will be a major inquest into why a team which lit up the continent en route to the final in Kiev last season has fallen so short this time around.

Jurgen Klopp restored Liverpool's reputation in the Champions League but now he has created an unwanted slice of history. For the first time the Reds have lost all three away matches in the group stage.

The search for a remedy to that travel sickness goes on after a narrow defeat to Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes.

Klopp's side ultimately paid the price for a painfully slow start which enabled Juan Bernat and Neymar to fire the French champions into a commanding lead.

The manager had demanded “big balls football” but there was a distinct lack of cojones on show as the insipid Reds were a distant second best.

James Milner's penalty gave the visitors hope and they were much improved after the break.

But for all their endeavour they created precious little. It was a damning stat that veteran keeper Gianlugi Buffon didn't have a single save to make.

A more pragmatic approach has served Liverpool well domestically so far this season as they have made a habit of grinding out results to launch a Premier League title challenge.

But in Europe they have lost their sparkle and now their hopes of progress hang on a knife-edge.

Leonardo DiCaprio was at the Parc des Princes but the Oscar winner wasn't even close to being the best actor in attendance.

That honour belonged to Neymar whose theatrics to repeatedly con free-kicks were a disgrace.

Klopp couldn't contain his fury at PSG's play-acting but although it left a sour taste that wasn't the reason why Liverpool were beaten. They need to look at themselves in the mirror.

Group C is going down to the wire and the Reds need to find another gear.

November 28, 2018

Liverpool 1-0 Napoli

A tactical masterclass from Klopp

No wonder Virgil van Dijk made a beeline for Alisson Becker at the final whistle.

Mohamed Salah was the match-winner on another unforgettable European night at Anfield but the jubilant Kop's debt of gratitude truly belonged to Liverpool's No 1.

For most of the night the biggest danger to the Brazil international was frostbite as he stood and watched Jurgen Klopp's side boss proceedings against Napoli.

But a combination of wasteful finishing and the heroics of David Ospina meant that Liverpool's Champions League fate remained in the balance.

Anxiety reigned. A late equaliser and the Reds would have been dumped into the Europa League.

The feelgood factor from the thrilling progress of recent months would have been seriously dented by a gut-wrenching setback.

Deep into stoppage time hearts were in mouths. The ball flicked off substitute Fabinho and dropped kindly to Arkadiusz Milik.

The Polish striker looked destined to score but Alisson spread himself and pulled off a stunning save. Anfield erupted in gleeful appreciation.

Liverpool were home and dry. The Premier League leaders remain on the road to Madrid. They will still be rubbing shoulders with Europe's elite comes February.

The absence of a world class keeper cost the Reds dear in Kiev back in May as Loris Karius' meltdown gift-wrapped the trophy for Real Madrid.

But Klopp addressed Liverpool's biggest weakness with his summer swoop for Alisson and his impact has been such that he's already made that £65million fee look like small change.

His hulking frame makes the goal look smaller. He has lightning quick reactions, he commands his box expertly and instils confidence rather than uncertainty in those around him.

Liverpool sit top of the Premier League thanks to his huge contributions in the recent wins over Everton and Burnley. Now he has helped write another memorable chapter in the Reds' rich European history.

Talk about taking the fast-track to Kop icon status. Liverpool haven't had a keeper of this calibre since Bruce Grobbelaar was in his prime.

It was a triumphant end to a turbulent Champions League group campaign for the Reds. They finished second in Group C behind Paris Saint-Germain, who were 4-1 winners away to Red Star Belgrade.

Klopp had challenged his players to right the wrongs after enduring three successive away European defeats and to a man they delivered.

Van Dijk was outstanding defensively and alongside him Joel Matip repaid the manager's faith after being preferred to Dejan Lovren.

It was a tactical masterclass from Klopp as his trusted midfield trio of Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Gini Wijnaldum ran themselves into the ground.

December 11, 2018

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