Manchester City picked up a 2-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League earlier tonight.
Goals from Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus in the second half was enough to seal a vital home win for the Premier League giants. Kylian Mbappe had given the French outfit the lead early on in the second half but Mauricio Pochettino’s men failed to defend their advantage.
Here at Anytime football, we look at the three major talking points from tonight’s contest.
Lionel Messi struggling to replicate peak form
The Argentine international completed a free transfer to Paris Saint-Germain earlier this summer and he has not been able to hit top form yet. Messi showed glimpses of his Barcelona quality but overall it was a subdued performance from the 34-year-old.
PSG will need him firing on all cylinders if they are to win the Champions League this season. They will also be hoping for better returns from their front three.
Guardiola’s gamble pays off
The Manchester City manager decided to start without a recognised striker tonight and he used defenders like Zinchenko in an advanced role. However, the Premier League giants managed to grind out a result and the Spanish manager will be pleased that his experiment has worked out.
That said, they must look to bring in a quality striker in January.
PSG lacking a big-game mentality
The French giants have invested millions of pounds into their playing squad over the years but they have failed to win the Champions League so far.
PSG continue to disappoint against the top teams and it is evident that they are lacking in mentality and attitude.
It remains to be seen whether Mauricio Pochettino can regroup his side and get them performing at a higher level in the knockout rounds now.
