Manchester United 0-2 PSG: 4 things we learned

Paris Saint-Germain defeated Manchester United 2-0 to hand Ole Gunnar Solskjaer his first defeat as the manager of the Red Devils. This was United's first loss in 12 matches, and they would now find it extremely difficult to qualify for the quarterfinals.

Presnel Kimpembe and Kylian Mbappe scored in the 53rd and 60th minute respectively to ensure a resounding win for the French club. This victory was even more creditable considering the fact that they were missing their two key attacking players Neymar and Edinson Cavani.

However, the advantage that United had because of their absence was more or less cancelled out, as Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard had to be taken off owing to injuries in the first half. United replaced them with Juan Mata and Alexis Sanchez respectively, but they couldn't exert any kind of influence on the match.

We would now take a look at the 4 things we learned from the match:

#1 Midfield slugfest in the first half, but PSG defence held firm:

The first half was a midfield slugfest and both the teams could have very few shots at the opposition goal. Manchester United played a lot of passes in the middle third, but could not penetrate into the final third. PSG, on the other hand, were happy to sit back and go into counter-attacks occasionally.

Martial and Rashford tried to make some inroads through the flanks, but the PSG defenders did not allow them to do so. As a result, Gianluigi Buffon was hardly troubled in the first half.

The PSG defensive midfielders Marco Verrati and Marquinhos also stayed inside their own half mostly and kept thwarting the United attacks. They also played some through balls occasionally to their forwards but those were not good enough to trouble the United defence.

Lingard was helping United retain possession and also contributing defensively. However, he pulled a muscle abruptly and had to be taken off just before half time.

Sanchez's introduction meant that United were to be more direct in their approach with more crosses coming in from the flanks. However, the United supporters were happy to see their team have the better of exchanges in the first half.

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#2 Both the teams changed their approach in the second half

United had started with their customary 4-3-3 formation whereas PSG looked set to begin with a 4-4-2 with Mbappe and Angel Di Maria as the two forwards. However, as United started playing in a more direct way, PSG switched to a 3-5-2.

The veteran Dani Alves rolled back the years and started playing as a wing-back. Kehrer moved to the central defence to accompany Kimpembe and Thiago Silva. PSG also started playing a high line and started to increase numbers in the opposition half.

Alves made frequent overlaps through the right flank and gave United's left-back Luke Shaw a torrid time. Alves' speed and ball-skills are still good enough for the topmost level, and he remains a player for big occasions. Ashley Young also started making overlapping runs for United, but his crosses were not good enough to trouble the PSG defence.

#3 A 10-minute blitz from PSG left United shell-shocked

PSG players hardly allowed their opposition a whiff of the ball as they played a string of passes and built up a wonderful move through the right wing. Alves' cross from the flank was met by a strong header from Mbappe and it forced a diving save from David de Gea. De Gea averted the danger momentarily by conceding a corner, but could not stop Kimpembe from scoring with a volley from the same.

The goal invigorated PSG and they continued their domineering display in the midfield. United were lacking width in their attack, as Pogba and Mata tried to move to the flanks occasionally. However, neither of them is a wide player and United were mainly reliant on the overlaps of their fullbacks to stretch the PSG defence.

PSG scored again with a brilliant counter-attacking move 7 minutes later as Angel Di Maria was provided with a through ball down the left flank, and he ran into the empty space to get hold of it. He then crossed it to the advancing Mbappe, who outran Eric Bailly to finish with a gentle tap-in.

It was Mbappe's 23rd goal of the season, and he exhibited all the customary traits of a great centre-forward last night. His poise and neat finishing make him even more dangerous as a player, and a nightmare for the opposition defenders. He could very well turn into a goal-scoring machine in course of time like his idol Cristiano Ronaldo.

#4 United forwards gave a lacklustre performance

On the other side of the pitch, both Marcus Rashford and Sanchez were highly ineffective for United and the PSG defenders won all the aerial battles inside their own penalty box. Ander Herrera tried to take some shots from the edge of the box but those were duly blocked by the PSG players.

Silva, Kimpembe and Kehrer were all superb in the air, and did not give any leeway to Rashford and Sanchez. It was yet another disappointing performance from Sanchez in a United shirt. He has now scored only 5 goals in 37 matches for United and might be spending his last season at the club.

Pogba took out his frustration on Alves and saw a red card as the match was nearing its end. PSG won handsomely in the end and not even the staunchest of United supporters would expect a miraculous turnaround in the return leg in Paris. As Solskjaer himself admitted, PSG were a notch above United last night.

Edited by Shambhu Ajith