Toothless Liverpool’s hopes in balance after loss to PSGpublished at 07:55 BST
PSG 2-0 Liverpool
Neil Johnston
BBC Sport at Parc des Princes
Image source, Getty ImagesLiverpool’s Champions League hopes are hanging in the balance after a demoralising defeat by reigning European champions Paris St-Germain – their 16th loss of the season.
Desire Doue’s deflected strike looped over the head of Giorgi Mamardashvili to give the Ligue 1 leaders the lead, before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia doubled their advantage with a moment of brilliance.
It means the Reds, who failed to register an attempt on target, have it all to do to stay in the competition in the quarter-final second leg at Anfield on Tuesday.
After suffering a four-goal mauling by Manchester City in their previous game, Liverpool appeared to be on a damage limitation exercise and started with a five-man defence in the French capital.
After conceding a goal in each half, Liverpool could easily have been swept aside in the closing stages of this one-sided first leg.
Warren Zaire-Emery went down after a challenge by Ibrahima Konate – but the penalty decision was overturned after the official watched the incident again on the pitchside monitor.
Konate was then fortunate not to be penalised for shoving Nuno Mendes in the area in stoppage time.
Ousmane Dembele also missed three glorious chances, and Liverpool, who sent on Alexander Isak for his first taste of action since December after injury, face an almighty challenge to overturn PSG’s advantage in five days’ time.
