Paris Saint-Germain 1-2 Manchester United: Hits and flops as Marcus Rashford strikes late winner for the Red Devils | UEFA Champions League 2020-21

Marcus Rashford once again emerged as the hero in Paris as Manchester United leave it late to beat PSG!
Marcus Rashford once again emerged as the hero in Paris as Manchester United leave it late to beat PSG!

Manchester United once again beat Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc de Princes to secure all three points in their UEFA Champions League opener.

Anthony Martial's own goal cancelled Bruno Fernandes' first-half penalty, and just when it seemed like the tie would end in a draw, Marcus Rashford smashed the Parisians' hopes with a stunning effort in the dying embers.

This was a second consecutive win in Paris for the Red Devils after last year's 3-1 victory in the second leg of the Round of 16 as the French champions, also last season's runners-up, put in a disappointing performance.

Here are the hits and flops from the match:

Hit: David De Gea (Manchester United)

David de Gea had a stormer between the sticks for Manchester United
David de Gea had a stormer between the sticks for Manchester United

After a very long time, beleaguered Manchester United shot-stopper David de Gea finally put in a great performance and made several important saves for his side.

The Spaniard was in an inspired form on Tuesday night. He made five saves against PSG, including a point-blank stop to deny Laywin Kurzawa and a solid catch to thwart Neymar's venomous effort from outside of the box.

This stellar performance will do a world of good for the goalkeeper, who has become highly erroneous and who has drawn plenty of flak for laughable blunders recently.

Also check out: Complete Champions League Schedule 2020/21


Flop: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)

Not the best day in the office for Kylian Mbappe
Not the best day in the office for Kylian Mbappe

Even the best players have their bad days, and today was one such day for Kylian Mbappe.

The 21-year-old was smothered by Aaron Wan-Bissaka throughout the game and misplaced plenty of passes. He even tried to switch flanks towards the end but that didn't help his cause either.

Despite managing five shots, Mbappe didn't prove decisive enough for his side. It was a rare night of disappointment from the youngster.

Hit: Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Manchester United)

Wan-Bissaka turned his performance in Manchester United colours!
Wan-Bissaka turned his performance in Manchester United colours!

Aaron Wan-Bissaka was simply outstanding for Manchester United on Tuesday night. The 22-year-old kept the likes of Mbappe, Neymar and Angel Di Maria at bay with his positional awareness and crucial interventions.

Wan-Bissaka was always on hand to thwart the trio's efforts as he completed a game-high of six tackles and made 25 blocks.

Often criticised for his lack of attacking output, the English full-back is second to none in terms of defensive contributions, and Tuesday night was another reminder of the same.

Flop: Neymar (PSG)

Neymar failed to fire on the night
Neymar failed to fire on the night

Mbappe wasn't the only PSG star who had a bad night as Neymar was left pretty frustrated too. Often a talisman for the Parisians on nights like these, the Brazilian was brilliantly kept at arm's length by Manchester United's well-drilled defence.

He started brightly, dribbling his way forward and getting into good attacking positions but never really impacted the match. He only had one key pass and one shot on target from 93 touches.

Hit: Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)

Just like he did last year, Rashford condemned PSG with a late winner
Just like he did last year, Rashford condemned PSG with a late winner

Marcus Rashford's importance to Manchester United has grown by leaps and bounds over the years, and his performance against PSG stood as a testament to this fact.

His late winner on Tuesday was his second goal at the Parc des Princes in as many appearances there.

The 22-year-old was a nuisance throughout the game with his constant forays down the right flank. However, what was missing was the cutting edge as he wasted a couple of chances early on.

Fortunately for Manchester United, he stepped up to the plate in the last few minutes of the game, firing a piledriver into the far post to sink PSG, just like he did in March last year.

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Edited by Rachel Syiemlieh