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Steven Gerrard suggested that Ibrahima Konate could have been more physical in a challenge with Desire Doue in the lead-up to Paris Saint Germain's opener against Liverpool on Wednesday night. The two clubs locked horns at the Parc des Princes at 8pm in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals. It took PSG just 11 minutes to breach Liverpool's defence, with Doue delicately chipping the ball over Giorgi Mamardashvili from the edge of the box.

Vitinha surged into the centre of the pitch with pace, exchanging a swift one-two with Nuno Mendes before releasing Doue on the left flank. The youngster shrugged off Konate's challenge, wrong-footing the centre-back as he darted into the space in front of him. Doue then played in Vitinha on the inside before the ball was switched across to Ousmane Dembele.

The Frenchman lost possession while driving forward, with the ball once again spreading wide to Doue, who twisted and turned at the edge of the area before unleashing a looping effort towards Mamardashvili's goal; the ball ultimately floating over the goalkeeper and into the net.

While a significant deflection off the trailing leg of Ryan Gravenberch played a considerable role in the shot's trajectory, Gerrard took issue with Konate's lack of physicality in the challenge.

Speaking at the interval on TNT Sports, the Liverpool legend said: "They could have been better around the half-way line, you can see PSG have dragged them out of shape.

"Konate could have done better winning his duel. You look at the backline now, it's all out of sync.

"Again, they get up to the ball quick enough, there's enough bodies. They're not being passive, they're getting around it.

"They end up with four people around it when he cuts back in but no one gets tight enough and they get that cruel deflection and it makes them go a goal down."

Gerrard also questioned whether Mamardashvili could have been slightly closer to his line to potentially tip the ball over as the strike arrived.

He added: "Maybe he could have been a foot or a yard further back, there's no reason maybe for him to be that high.

"It is unfortunate and probably being slightly cruel, but if you step outside of the goalkeeper's union, you can say maybe he could have been that little bit further back. Then he might have been able to tip it over the bar."

It emerges as Arne Slot took the decision not to field several crucial players for Wednesday evening's vital fixture.

Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo were both relegated to the bench from kick-off, with the Dutchman instead placing trust in a front three of Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong.

In the second half, PSG doubled their lead with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia rounding the goalkeeper and firing low into an empty net.

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