Changes Needed as PSG Narrowly Escape Against Newcastle
A late penalty secured a point for PSG against Newcastle, but now a massive match against Dortmund looms on the horizon.
On Tuesday evening, Paris Saint-Germain appeared destined for the UEFA Europa League as Newcastle United F.C. clung to a 1-0 lead at the Parc des Princes.
Then, late in stoppage time, a rare stroke of good luck was bestowed on Les Parisiens, and a penalty was awarded after VAR ruled that Tino Livramento handled the ball after a cross hit his chest and deflected off his arm. Kylian Mbappé then stepped up and converted the penalty with ease to secure the much-needed draw.
Was it a penalty?
To be fair to Newcastle supporters, it was a harsh decision. But, while they and their friends in the English media moan about the decision, it’s important to remember that there were at least two other incidents that should have resulted in a penalty for PSG that were completely ignored. There was an earlier handball that seemed clearer than the one that was given and Achraf Hakimi was brought down in the box from behind that should have been a penalty as well.
All told PSG was the better side over the 90 minutes. They finished the match with more possession (72%), higher xG (4.54 to Newcastle’s 1.29), more total shots (31), and more shots on target (7). They created more big chances (9) and finished the match with a 92% successful pass rate. A point is the bare minimum of what they deserve.
Where things stand in the Champions League for PSG
So, where does this result put PSG in the “Group of Death?” Currently, PSG sits in second with 7 points, just three points back of Borussia Dortmund for first. Newcastle and AC Milan round out third and fourth place both on five points. There’s a load of tie-breaker scenarios, but essentially, if PSG wins at Dortmund, they’ll top the group due to goal difference and that is what the mindset should be.
It’s a difficult ask for a rebuilt PSG side with a new manager. Their away form in the UEFA Champions League has been absolutely abysmal this season. They lost 4-1 at Newcastle and 2-1 at AC Milan in a match that wasn’t as close as the final score would lead you to believe.
Dortmund’s atmosphere is notorious for causing visiting teams to stumble and as we saw against Newcastle, a hostile environment can absolutely impact how PSG performs. Let’s also not forget that Dortmund is a club that would love nothing more than to send PSG to the Europa League. Back in 2020, the two sides met up in the knockout stage of the Champions League and there was some back-and-forth between the two clubs on social media and the infamous “Zen” celebration by PSG players mocking Erling Haaland.
Changes PSG must make for the Dortmund match
In order to defeat Dortmund, or at least secure a draw and pray for a draw between Newcastle and Milan, Luis Enrique must make changes to the starting lineup.
The first change that I would make, but is completely unlikely, is to bench Gianluigi Donnarumma for Keylor Navas. The Italy international made yet another head-scratching mistake against Newcastle when he failed to collect a shot from distance and spilled the rebound to Alexander Isak for the easy tap-in. If Luis Enrique decides to move in this direction, he’ll need to start Navas in the two matches leading up to the December 13, clash against Dortmund to get him match-fit.
The defense also needs a shakeup. The combination of Milan Škriniar and Danilo Pereira is just too slow and easily exploited. With the injury status of Marquinhos, who may not be able to play in this match, Luis Enrique should consider moving Lucas Hernández to center-back and bringing on Nordi Mukiele to play left-back. It’s not ideal, but this is the best back four given the circumstances.
The midfield was always going to suffer when a player of Warren Zaïre-Emery’s skillset is out due to injury. I didn’t mind the inclusion of Kang-In Lee alongside Manuel Ugarte and Fabian Ruiz against Newcastle, but it was clear that when Vitinha came on, there was a noticeable improvement. That means Kang-In Lee should move to the bench, and Vitinha should replace him. If Zaïre-Emery can return in time, the midfield trio should be Ugarte, Vitinha, and the 17-year-old French phenom.
That brings us to the attack, which generated plenty of shots but failed to deliver the goals against Newcastle. Mbappé is a clear starter on the left wing, as you would imagine, but Randal Kolo Muani as a striker just isn’t getting it done. He’s not dangerous in the air when PSG crosses into the box, and he’s not doing much else. For me, I would replace Kolo Muani with Gonçalo Ramos or Marco Asensio, who was in great form earlier this season before his injury.
Ousmane Dembélé has been incredibly wasteful on the right wing, but he’s such a creative and dangerous player. Unfortunately, he won’t be available for the match against Dortmund due to suspension, so we could see Kolo Muani moved to the wing, or, Luis Enrique could replace him with Bradley Barcola or Kang-In Lee.
Conclusion
On paper, PSG should beat Dortmund. They have more talented players and let’s not forget, PSG defeated the Bundesliga club 2-0 at the Parc des Princes to open the Champions League group stage. The key will be to not become overwhelmed by the crowd and the moment. PSG must play their game and limit the back-breaking mistakes that lead to goals. If they can do that, PSG should top the “Group of Death,” which would be quite an accomplishment for a squad with so many fresh faces this season.