The disbelieving Parc des Princes fell completely silent apart from one small corner of the stadium. There, in similar astonishment, bounced the Liverpool supporters delighting in the realisation they may have witnessed one of the great smash and grab raids in the club’s long and illustrious European history.

Not for the first time during his still fledgling Anfield tenure, Arne Slot had been proven somewhat prescient in his proclamations.

“We have to wait and see if they will be on top of us,” said the Reds boss when considering the threat from Paris Saint-Germain before the match. “And if they are, we have to suffer and we have to be like we were against Manchester City.”

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And suffer Liverpool did, particularly during an alarmingly one-sided first half in which the home side demonstrated exactly why they were regarded Europe’s in-form team by running Slot’s team ragged to an extent they haven’t experienced this season.

Forget the rearguard action that earned the win at City last month. For 45 minutes, the Reds were absolutely battered.

But not every game can be one of composed control, one of impressive dominance. PSG ended this match with 71% and managed a whopping 27 shots on goal, 10 of which were on target.

By contrast, the Liverpool troubled PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma only once. That, though, was sufficient to prompt an instant hush to descend across the home fans as Harvey Elliott, with his first touch 47 seconds after being introduced for a faltering Mohamed Salah, ran on to substitute Darwin Nunez’s pass and fired a low left-foot shot Donnarumma couldn’t prevent going into the bottom corner.

What a moment for Elliott, who has become frustrated at the lack of game time this season. And what a confidence boost for Nunez to take into the closing weeks of what for the striker has been a rollercoaster campaign.

And it was also evidence of the strength in depth to which Slot is turning at opportune times, Curtis Jones similarly influential from the bench while Wataru Endo delivered a trademark stint.

That Liverpool were in a position to snatch victory owed so much to Alisson Becker in what, without hyperbole, should rightly be regarded as one of the great goalkeeping performances in the club’s history.

As the visitors were pulled this way and that during the first half by a vibrant PSG attack in which both Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembele excelled, Alisson at times provided a one-man barrier, making a string of superb saves.

And even when the Brazilian was beaten by a Kvaratskhelia curler in the first half, the goal was eventually chalked off after a lengthy check that confirmed the Georgia international was narrowly offside.

Liverpool also had the rub of the green when Ibrahima Konate tangled with Bradley Barcola on the edge of the area. Italian referee Davide Massa waved away strong claims for a possible penalty and red card, with the decision backed after a VAR check.

While PSG were excellent going forward, they were aided by a Liverpool performance that fell way short of their usual standards. The Reds were spooked by the intensity of the pressure shown by Luis Enrique’s side and, on the rare occasions they had the ball, gifted back possession almost immediately.

But the visitors deserve credit for the manner in which they regrouped and dug in after the interval, preventing space in which Dembele could run and neutralising Kvaratskhelia to such an extent he was hooked before the final whistle. PSG had already started to run out of ideas when Elliott struck.

There is, however, no doubt the understandable celebrations at the final whistle as the Liverpool players saluted the 2,000-strong travelling army were with the realisation the job is far, far from done.

PSG are by some distance the best team the Reds have faced this season and will not change their approach in the second leg at Anfield next Tuesday. Liverpool will know they cannot escape with another performance like this one here in France.

There was a curious landmark for Slot before the game when his starting XI was the sixth time he had named the exact same line-up during his tenure. Jurgen Klopp did likewise only five times in 491 games in charge.

Familiarity certainly didn’t breed contentment for the Reds, though, with Alisson ensuring any lingering debate over who should be Liverpool’s number one was banished by a performance that showcased every aspect of his game.

Having been forced into a decent stop to deny Kvaratskhelia from range, Alisson’s first big moment came when Dembele got in behind the Liverpool defence. The goalkeeper saved the initial effort, and after Barcola’s effort on the rebound was blocked by Dominik Szoboszlai, the PSG winger hastily fired the loose ball over with defenders on the line.

Alisson bettered that, though, by smartly diving low to his right to keep out a Kvaratskhelia shot after the tricky Georgian had befuddled Konate.

There were saves in the second half to again thwart Kvaratskhelia and PSG substitute Desire Doue. But Liverpool, aided by first tactical tweaks and then switching to a box midfield after the changes from the bench, began to show some signs of attacking threat on the counter.

And that paid dividends three minutes from time. Fittingly, it was a long punt from Alisson that caused the danger, Nunez too strong for Marquinhos and then showing presence of mind to tee up Elliott to score.

Cue bedlam in the away end, silence everywhere else. Another famous Anfield European night now beckons.