Liverpool exploit PSG's vulnerable flanks as Jurgen Klopp wins tactical battle

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  • Roberto Firmino came off the bench to score a late winner as Liverpool beat Paris Saint-Germain 3-2 in their Champions League opener at Anfield.

    Daniel Sturridge opened the scoring with a header before James Milner made it 2-0 from the spot with 36 minutes played.

    Thomas Meunier pulled one back for the away side against the run of play and Kylian Mbappe grabbed an equaliser seven minutes from time.

    However, Firmino struck in the second minute of added time to clinch all three points.

    Here’s a look at how Jurgen Klopp won the tactical battle with Thomas Tuchel.

    BASIC STATS

    Goals – 3

    Shots – 16

    Possession – 52%

    Tackles – 16

    Dribbles – 10

    30-SECOND REPORT

    Klopp kept faith with his traditional 4-3-3 system but Firmino – who suffered an abrasion to the eye over the weekend – was benched in favour of Sturridge. Meanwhile, club captain Jordan Henderson replaced Naby Keita in midfield which saw Georginio Wijnaldum pushed further forward.

    Liverpool enjoyed an early spell of pressure as they closed down the visitors high up the pitch. They forced PSG into conceding six corners in the opening 13 minutes. One of their relentless spells of pressure eventually broke the deadlock with Andrew Robertson crossing for Sturridge to head home.

    The Reds dropped off in the second half but with PSG failing to take the initiative, still had a few chances fall their way. A mistake from Mohamed Salah allowed the visitors to equalise but Liverpool piled on the pressure again to secure a dramatic late winner.

    James Milner and Daniel Sturridge got Liverpool off to a good start.

    James Milner and Daniel Sturridge got Liverpool off to a good start.

    TACTICAL TALKING POINT

    Intensity in wide areas

    Liverpool’s intense pressing game was no surprise but the advantage they gained in wide areas was telling. The hosts began on the front foot and penned PSG back to the edge of their own area. The high press forced turnovers while their ability to overload the flanks and get crosses in had the Parisians scrambling.

    Much of that was down to Neymar and Kylian Mbappe’s lack of tracking back. The former’s defensive contribution was non-existent and Trent Alexander-Arnold ended up with 11 crosses on the night.

    Salah and Sadio Mane on the other hand do their fair share of tracking and closing down while the high work rates of Henderson and Milner also helped compensate for the advanced roles of the full-backs, explaining why Liverpool didn’t face the same problem.

    VERDICT

    Liverpool had the beating of PSG from the way Klopp set them up. The decision to start Sturridge as well worked like a charm as the Englishman brought a new dimension to the Reds’ attack with his movement and threat inside the box.

    Rating 7/10

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