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Martin Rickett
AS IT HAPPENED

As It Happened: Liverpool v Paris Saint-Germain, Champions League

Join us for live updates as Liverpool kick off their new Champions League campaign at home to the French aristocrats (kick-off 8pm).

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, and welcome to our first Champions League group stage liveblog as last year’s beaten finalists Liverpool host PSG at Anfield in Group C.

Both of these sides have 100% records coming into this one, so as the old boxing saying goes: ‘Somebody’s ’0′ has got to go! Unless it’s a draw.’

Team news on the way in a jiffy, but for starters, here’s a slightly disappointed-looking Kylian Mbappé showing why he’s such a great role model for kids: he may have cost PSG 180 million bob, won a World Cup, and earn €350,000 per week, but rules is rules.

Paris Saint-Germain Pitch Walk and Press Conference - Anfield Martin Rickett Martin Rickett

Team news: Liverpool

Jordan Henderson and Daniel Sturridge replace Naby Keita and Roberto Firmino respectively in Jurgen Klopp’s starting XI tonight.

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Team news: PSG

Neymar and Mbappé both start for Thomas Tuchel’s Parisians on either side of Edinson Cavani; centre-back Marquinhos will play the role of holding midfielder after PSG missed out on their ‘no.6′ targets over the summer.

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Sadly, they have also concocted some sort of movie trailer for tonight’s fixture.

May the Lord have mercy on our souls.

I know PSG have been looking to get celebrity fans on board to endorse their merchandise as part of plans to expand into the global market, but really… Alec Baldwin?

Britain Soccer Champions League Dave Thompson Dave Thompson

Kick-off

The teams are underway at Anfield. Liverpool will attack The Kop in the first half.

Liverpool 0-0 PSG - Tasty run by Neymar through the middle: he beats four players but his attempt to slip Kylian Mbappe free on the right-hand side of the hosts’ penalty area is wayward.

Liverpool 0-0 PSG - Milner’s low cross from the right-hand side evades just about everybody but eventually comes to Virgil van Dijk — still up from a corner — who drives it first-time only for it to be tipped over by Alphonse Areola.

Liverpool 0-0 PSG - Milner forces another Liverpool corner as he drives one with his left foot and Areola tips it wide to be sure. The corner comes to nothing in the end, but good pressure by the home side in the opening eight or so minutes.

Liverpool 0-0 PSG - Alexander-Arnold meanders into the PSG area and his bullet-like cross deflects over via the knee of Kimpembe.

Salah’s corner lands right under the crossbar and his tipped back over by Areola, but PSG clear the second corner.

Mané fires one right into Areola’s breadbasket from the edge of the area moments later. PSG just calming things down, now, slightly, and moving the ball around in their own half.

Liverpool 0-0 PSG – ‘Tis piddling rain, by the way.

Liverpool v Paris Saint-Germain - UEFA Champions League - Group C - Anfield Peter Byrne Peter Byrne

Liverpool 0-0 PSG - Another Liverpool corner, their sixth, sees Joe Gomez twist and head the ball about two yards wide of the PSG sticks. Not a bad effort from an awkward body position.

Liverpool 0-0 PSG - First scare for Liverpool as Neymar lets fly with his left boot, albeit straight at the ‘keeper. Alisson makes a bit of a meal of it, parrying directly into the onrushing Cavani whose effort is smothered and lands back in the Brazilian goalkeeper’s arms.

Liverpool 0-0 PSG - Bit of a lull in proceedings, now, as both sides take stock of the opening 20 or so minutes.

Liverpool 0-0 PSG – Thiago Silva does well to steer another dangerous Milner cross out for a corner. Mané slices one wide off his left having shimmied his way into the area.

Moments prior, a Cavani counter-attack nearly put Neymar in on Liverpool’s goal but the pass was a touch behind him and seemed to come off his heel and hit his elbow before being cleared.

Liverpool 0-0 PSG - Van Dijk in the book as he mistimes a challenge on Mbappe and prevents a PSG break.

GOAL LIVERPOOL!

GOOOOOALLLLL! Liverpool 1-0 PSG - DANIEL STURRIDGE HEADS LIVERPOOL IN FRONT ON HIS FIRST CHAMPIONS LEAGUE START! What a cross by Andy Robertson from the left!

Liverpool 1-0 PSG - Seconds after kick-off, Salah forces a goalmouth scramble in PSG’s box but the French side clear.

Liverpool 1-0 PSG - Mbappe fires narrowly over from a pullback.

PENALTY LIVERPOOL!

Oh my days. Juan Bernat — WHAT ARE YOU DOING? He clips Wijnaldum from behind and the referee points to the spot!

GOAL LIVERPOOL!

GOOOOOALLLL! Liverpool 2-0 PSG – Milner rams it into the bottom right-hand corner and Liverpool are flying!

GOAL PSG!

GOOOALLL! Liverpool 2-1 PSG - Thomas Meunier fires home instinctively with a beautiful left-footed volley after a cross rebounded off Andy Robertson. His fifth goal of the season from right-back.

And suddenly the away fans are in full voice!

Liverpool 2-1 PSG - Both sides content to take their lot in at the break and go again. Liverpool passing casually around midfield, and there’s the half-time whistle.

Half-time: Liverpool 2-1 PSG

Liverpool 2-1 PSG - The second half is underway at Anfield.

Neymar tries to thread Cavani through early doors but his searching through ball is sniffed out by Robertson.

Liverpool 2-1 PSG - Quiet start to the second verse in comparison to the first. Both sides almost feeling each other out again, hesitant to make that key mistake which would see the game turn on its hinges in either direction.

Liverpool 2-1 PSG - GOA– oh no! Liverpool have a goal chalked off by the referee! Mo Salah tapped home a rebound from close range but — after what seems like an age — Sturridge is adjudged to have fouled Areola. And, to be fair, he probably did — the Englishman’s studs caught the keeper in the chest as they both challenged for the ball near ground level.

Liverpool v Paris Saint-Germain - UEFA Champions League - Group C - Anfield Peter Byrne Peter Byrne

Liverpool 2-1 PSG - Awful miss by Sturridge! Superb ball in by Alexander-Arnold from the right and Sturridge — in a yard of space — makes a hames of the free header. It sort of hits his face, shoulder, arm and bounces into the grateful Areola’s arms.

Liverpool 2-1 PSG - A quick free-kick from Milner finds Alexander-Arnold free on the right-hand side of PSG’s box but the defender’s first-time cross is crucially snuffed out in the six-yard area.

Liverpool 2-1 PSG - Cavani does well to divert a Milner corner out for another Liverpool corner.

Sturridge being replaced by Roberto Firmino. Scored a fabulous header to give Liverpool the lead and has been heavily involved if somewhat frustrating since.

Liverpool 2-1 PSG - PSG are knocking the ball around at snail’s pace as if content to get out of Anfield with an away goal, here. It’s odd. Absolutely no urgency to seek an equaliser.

GOAL PSG!

GOOOOALLL! Liverpool 2-2 PSG! THE LIVEBLOGGER’S CURSE! Mo Salah loses the ball cheaply in Liverpool’s half and Neymar bursts into Liverpool’s box before Mbappe sweeps it past Alisson into the bottom-right-hand corner. Completely against the grain, the visitors are level.

Liverpool 2-2 PSG - Mané is fouled at the edge of the area and Liverpool have a free-kick in a dangerous area, although Salah has just been replaced by Shaqiri.

Liverpool 2-2 PSG - Young Alexander-Arnold skims the frame of the goal! Lovely effort. It took a tiny deflection, mind, so Liverpool have a corner.

Cleared by PSG.

Liverpool 2-2 PSG - Andy Robertson’s deliveries have been exceptional all night, and he plants one in no man’s land causing Thiago Silva to stretch every inch of his 34-year-old body to save his side with a clearing header.

Added time: three minutes
GOAL LIVERPOOL!

GOOOOOOALLLLLL LIVERPOOL! Liverpool 3-2 PSG - IT’S ROBERTO FIRMINOOOOO!

This time Kylian Mbappe loses the ball cheaply to Alexander-Arnold on the break, and Firmino fashions half a yard to drill the ball past Areola in the bottom-left corner. Anfield erupts!

Full-time: Liverpool 3-2 PSG

What a finish at Anfield. Roberto Firmino comes off the bench to double down on his hero status with a super finish after it looked as though Liverpool had coughed up two points despite controlling large parts of the game.

Thanks for joining us this evening. Keep an eye on The42 for more reaction!

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