In a contest not short of excitement and quality, goals from Presnel Kimpembe and Kylian Mbappe secured a 2-0 away win for PSG and ended United's unbeaten run under Solskjaer. Here, EconSport examines the major talking points.
Poor performance by Referee Daniele Orsato
For a hotly anticipated fixture of such standard pitting two of Europe's heavyweights against themselves, referee, Daniele Orsato, had an average game. Perhaps eager to stamp his authority on proceedings, he seemed to reach for his pocket every time a foul was committed. The problem was the lack of consistency and as such his overall handling of the game. Defender Presnel Kimpembe who scored the first goal and overcame a tetchy start to record a solid display was lucky to still be on the pitch by the time he silenced Old Trafford with the opener. After picking up a booking for upending Marcus Rashford by the halfway line, he could have seen red for further fouls on Luke Shaw and Rashford, but Orsato showed some leniency. It was curious then to see him issue a second yellow to Paul Pogba for what looked an innocuous coming together of two players going for the ball, which rules the Frenchman out of the return leg at the Parc Des Princes. As if the scoreline wasn't daunting enough the absence of Pogba makes it an Herculean task if United are to pull off a spirited comeback.
Veratti masterclass in midfield
At some periods during the game you couldn't help but wonder if Veratti's boots had a ball-magnet. So adept at keeping things ticking over, he pulled PSG's play together, recycling possession intelligently and picking holes in United's midfield to exploit, this was a stormer of a show from the nimble footed Italian. There is a reason Thomas Tuchel rushed him back for this tie having just returned from injury. United just couldn't get near him. Neymar, Cavani, Meunier, Tuchel reluctantly, yet left without choice, could do without. Veratti not a chance. He conducted PSG's play superbly and seemed to do no wrong, knowing when to hold the ball to tire United out and release it incisively to launch piercing attacks. With a 94% accuracy tied to his 68 successful passes, before being withdrawn in the dying embers of the game, he was integral to what was a mature and classy, and display from the Parisiens.
Di Maria shows United what might have been
In the build up to this fascinating tie, PSG's German attacker, Julian Draxler's comments on Angel Di Maria's return to his old stomping ground pointed to one thing: the Argentine was fired up for the occasion. Billed, by many, as a £60 million flop upon leaving for PSG a year after signing for the Red Devils under Louis Van Gaal, with a paltry return of four goals to his name, Di Maria's stock is not especially high in Manchester. After getting back on track at PSG over the last three seasons, he gave United a glimpse of the pacy, willing, creative hub many wshed and longed to see. Booed by a large number of supporters, he went about his task with elan and verve. In the early minutes a curling shot from about 20 yards which went just wide served a reminder, as if any was needed, as to his mission: he wanted to prove a point. Mission accomplished? Well he proved it devastatingly. His pinpoint delivery from a corner led to the opener from Kimpembe and his superb low cross was calmly converted by Mbappe. His work-rate and tenacity was just as impressive as his quality on the ball. United's loss apparently has, somewhat, proved to be PSG's gain.
Tuchel wins tactical battle
With United struggling to find any chink in the armor of a solid PSG display, and Tuchel's side easing to a win, the cameras panned to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on the touch line. Deep in thoughts, his look said it all; the visitors had found out his team. A first loss under his stewardship was imminent and tactically United had been second best. By no means a slight on the long term suitability of the Norwegian for the full-time job, all coaches are sometimes found out anyway. This however showed that United are still a work in progress under Solskjaer. The steep learning curve is bound to come with its highs and lows and this defeat was part of the latter. Tuchel's 3-4-1-2 setup or 3-4-3 if you like flummoxed the Red Devils. Solskjaer's 4-3-3 system is hinged around the flexibility of the front three and their finding spaces to run into, with Pogba joining in and the starting position of the midfield pushed further forward. The wing-back formation of Tuchel however denied United space and meant United's attacking play was largely in front of their visitors' organized rearguard with Juan Bernat and Dani Alves tucking in to form a back five along with Thiago Silva, Kimpembe and Kehrer. Upon regaining possession the wing-backs pushed forward to join in attack and on a wide Old Trafford pitch, PSG proved a real threat from out wide. The interplay in midfield also saw them break through their hosts' press with the fluid front three of Draxler, Di Maria and Mbappe causing problems with their movement. Solskjaer's cause was not helped by the injury enforced substations of Martial and Lingard, and to his credit he did try and alter the complex of the game, yet his substitions barely had any meaningful impact. Sanchez was little more than anonymous and Mata only shown intermittently. United were indeed indebted to De Gea in preventing a wider goal margin as Paris Saint Germain took charge of proceedings in the second half. Much credit has to go the way of Tuchel for a tactical masterclass amidst stretched resources. His side were cohesive, composed, clinical and stuck to the game plan. He was an ever present figure on the touchline screaming instructions at his players, applauding the endeavour shown and at other times venting his frustration when their build up play broke. Perhaps the absence of Neymar proved a blessing, after all, resulting in a collectively strong showing with every component part playing it's part. Nullifying United's threat, imposing theirs and going back to France with a healthy two-goal lead it was a tactical lesson from Tuchel to Solskjaer.
Mbappe steps up to mollify Neymar and Cavani's absence
Shorn of two of their fearsome front three, PSG had gone from being overwhelming favorites when the draw was made in December to slightly underdogs against an in-form Manchester United side. No Neymar or Cavani, but they had Kylian Mbappe. His goal, PSG's second, took the game and perhaps the tie beyond the Red Devils. More than just his solitary goal, however, this was a mature display from the World Cup winning star. In the first half his smart movement on one occassion saw him put through on goal with his first touch taking him too far wide as he could only find the side netting. On another, he committed Ashley Young to a booking after bursting past on a counter attack. Warnings United failed to heed. With Kimpembe putting the visitors in front, and United going all out for the equalizer, there was always the possibility that Mbappe's pace might land a sucker punch. And so it proved. A rapid counter saw PSG break with the ball falling to Di Maria on the left. Mbappe knew just what run he would make and Di Maria a perfect understanding of the delivery needed. A low perfectly weighted cross into the area was quality defined. Put into the six yard box, too risky for the goalkeeper to come out and claim, and perfectly weighted to take it out of the reach of a stretching Eric Bailly. Still the run from Mbappe was fabulous center-forward play. Starting a few yards behind Bailly and Victor Lindelof, he was in perfect sync with Di Maria, sprinting almost effortlessly past the defensive duo and retaining his composure to cooly slot home and stamp PSG's advantage on the tie. They might have been without Neymar and Cavani, but, in Mbappe, PSG had a star who shines on the big stage and when it matters most.
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