Darwin Nunez was singled out for praise after assisting Harvey Elliott's incredible winner against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday.
Liverpool fans are celebrating one of the club's greatest ever victories in the Champions League after beating PSG 1-0 at the Parc des Princes. The Reds were outplayed for most of Wednesday's game but secured an unlikely win thanks to Elliott's 87th minute strike.
With Liverpool struggling to get a foothold in the game, Arne Slot brought on substitute Nunez shortly after the hour mark. He then took off Mohamed Salah in the 86th minute and introduced Elliott, a bold move considering the Egyptian's form this season.
Salah has scored 30 goals and provided 22 assists in all competitions this term, making him one of the favorites for the Ballon d'Or. But, with the forward struggling to make any impact on Wednesday, Slot hooked him and gave Elliott an unlikely chance.
The 21-year-old hasn't started a Premier League game this season and only had three goals to his name before Liverpool's trip to Paris. Yet he delivered for the Reds when it mattered, slotting the ball into the bottom corner after being set up by Nunez.
The forward did brilliantly in the build-up to the goal. He got the better of defender Marquinhos in the air before controlling the ball and putting Elliott clean through on goal. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma got a hand to the shot, but he couldn't keep it out.
Harvey Elliott scored the winner on Wednesday
Harvey Elliott scored the winner on Wednesday (Image: Getty Images)
Nunez was praised for his role in the goal by former Rangers striker Ally McCoist on TNT Sports. McCoist said: "Quite incredible. I think that might be Harvey Elliott's first touch. Nine times out of ten Darwin Nunez pulls the trigger there, it's a relatively simple pass and it is there to hit first time for Elliott. Smash and grab."
Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock added on BBC Radio 5 Live: "All the plaudits will go to Harvey Elliott, but it is all about Darwin Nunez. Nunez wins the first initial ball and so often he makes the wrong decision, but he pushes it nicely into the path of Elliott. A smash and grab."
PSG had 71 percent of the ball and 27 shots on Wednesday, with 10 of those hitting the target. In comparison, Liverpool had only two shots and hit the target just once. Alisson was undoubtedly the best player of the field, making a string outstanding saves.
"You need your goalkeeper to be at his very best," added Warnock. "Harvey Elliott has just jumped on Alisson and he has legs wrapped around him embracing each other. They got away with it because of Alisson. You buy those type of players for performances like that.
"That's how you win titles, that's how they won the Champions League (in 2019). Alisson is so key to the way they preform. He is superb at reading situations. His decision-making is exceptional."