Liverpool’s 1-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) within the Champions League will go down as some of the surprising but superb leads to latest membership historical past. Within the newest Stat Me Up! podcast on Anfield Index, Dave Davis and Dr Phil Barter dissected the numbers behind the Reds’ exceptional win on the Parc des Princes. The statistical breakdown paints an image of pure survival, with Liverpool defying the chances by sheer resilience, defensive heroics, and a world-class efficiency from Alisson Becker.
Tactical Nightmare However Historic Outcome
From the outset, Liverpool had been below siege. Dr Phil Barter was fast to focus on how a lot PSG dominated possession and territory, remarking, “35% possession for Liverpool in a top-level sport… subject tilt of 80-20 is insane.” Liverpool’s standard method of controlling play and urgent excessive was nowhere to be seen. As a substitute, they had been pinned again, defending wave after wave of PSG assaults.
Barter added context to only how relentless PSG’s stress was, explaining, “51 penalty field touches conceded… that’s a penalty field contact each different minute.” To place that into perspective, Liverpool usually enable fewer than 10 photographs per sport, but PSG fired 27 photographs at aim, with 9 heading in the right direction.
Regardless of this, Liverpool someway weathered the storm. Their defensive form might not have resembled something near the structured methods followers are used to, nevertheless it was efficient in irritating PSG’s star-studded assault.
Alisson Becker: The Holy Goalie
The most important purpose Liverpool emerged victorious was the excellent goalkeeping show from Alisson Becker. Dave Davis summed it up greatest when he mentioned, “We’ll get to the bit the place we proclaim Alisson a human demigod.”
Barter supplied the chilly, arduous stats to again up the sentiment: “9 photographs heading in the right direction confronted, post-shot xG (anticipated objectives after a shot is taken) of two.25… that is an all-time efficiency, on par or higher than Courtois’ towards Actual Madrid within the Paris ultimate.”
One save that stood out specifically was Alisson’s reflex cease from shut vary, the place he denied a 40% probability of scoring. “That’s 40% of the time a participant scores from that place – and he saves it,” Barter emphasised.
It wasn’t simply the standard of the saves, however the quantity of labor he needed to do. PSG took 27 photographs whereas having fun with 51% possession, which means Alisson was being known as into motion roughly as soon as per minute. His focus, positioning, and reactions had been second to none.
Liverpool’s Assault: A Lone Spark of Magic
Whereas Liverpool’s defensive efficiency will likely be remembered for its grit, the profitable aim got here from an unlikely supply—Harvey Elliott. The younger midfielder discovered himself in the correct place on the proper time to pounce on a rebound, squeezing the ball previous Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Nonetheless, Barter didn’t maintain again in assessing the PSG goalkeeper’s function within the aim: “In case you get a hand to it, you most likely ought to reserve it… Alisson would have saved that shot, little doubt in my thoughts.”
Regardless of the heroics, Liverpool’s attacking numbers had been dismal. Mohamed Salah did not register a single shot within the match—an virtually unheard-of statistic within the Champions League. “Mo didn’t have a shot all sport. That tells you all the pieces it’s essential to know,” Barter famous.
Survival Mode and Trying Forward
Liverpool will take a slim lead into the second leg, nevertheless it’s clear they want a much-improved efficiency at Anfield. Whereas this win showcased the defensive resilience of Arne Slot’s aspect, counting on Alisson to single-handedly carry them by each sport is unsustainable.
Davis summed up the weird nature of the match completely: “Lengthy story brief, all of the metrics sucked, however the final one is that Harvey Elliott took it away and someway, primarily because of Alisson Becker, the Reds take a 1-0 lead into the second leg.”
Liverpool might not have performed their standard expansive, attacking soccer, however relating to the Champions League, typically you simply must discover a technique to win. And on an evening the place PSG dominated all the pieces however the scoreline, the Reds did simply that.