Arsenal clinging onto Champions League hope as PSG teach them a lesson - 5 talking points

Arsenal were denied a valuable equaliser by VAR as they fell to a 1-0 defeat at home to on Tuesday night. It could have been much worse, though, with the Gunners withstanding an early pummelling to stay within touching distance in their two-legged encounter.

broke the deadlock, and he needed barely three minutes to do so. The French international broke forward before feeding Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and hung back to collect a return pass from the Georgian and find the bottom corner.

kept themselves in it, though, and thought they were level early in the second half. It wasn't to be, though, with Mikel Merino straying offside before heading home a free-kick.

Gianluigi Donnarumma played his part in keeping the Londoners from making the most of their best spells in a game which ebbed and flowed, with a big low stop to deny Leandro Trossard the highlight. PSG might have been the better side in the first half, but it was a different story in the second.

Luis Enrique's side almost delivered a devastating late blow, though, only for Bradley Barcola to fire wide with only David Raya to beat and fellow sub Goncalo Ramos hitting the woodwork with the very next chance. There's another 90 minutes to go at the Parc des Princes next week and both teams will have some positives to take, but it's PSG who will be the happier with the scoreline.

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The visitors didn't sit back after taking the lead, and Marquinhos planted a header into the arms of David Raya as they chased a second. They also saw a penalty appeal waved away, with Kvaratskhelia going to ground under a Jurrien Timber challenge but referee Slavko Vincic saying no.

Arsenal had a penalty appeal of their own knocked back before the break, with Joao Neves getting a toe to the ball before Mikel Merino hit the ground. They grew in confidence before the break, but Gabriel Martinelli put his shot too close to Donnarumma in one of their better chances in the opening 45 minutes.

The hosts' second-half rally was encouraging, but they could easily have been caught out on the break, and the second leg will provide another kind of test. Here are Mirror Football's talking points from North London.

1. Dembele makes up for lost time

Back in October, Ousmane Dembele didn't take his place in PSG's squad for their trip to North London in the league phase. Disciplinary issues were cited as the reason, though Luis Enrique played down talk of a major rift.

"I am not going to make a soap opera out of it, there was no argument between the player and me," he said at the time. "There was a problem with the player's responsibility to the team. Nothing else."

There was no such issue this time around. Dembele started as part of the front three, and led by example as he fired his team in front - even if he didn't make the cleanest connection as he sent the ball beyond .

2. Both keepers showing their quality

If PSG had gone in 2-0 up at the break, it might have been curtains for Arsenal. And it was down to David Raya that the hosts kept it to one.

Raya got brilliantly down to his right to get a firm hand to Desire Doue's shot, a vital save on top of one or two you would expect him to make. Early in the second half, though, it was his opposite number who had to be on top form.

Donnarumma needed to be at his best in the previous round as PSG held off the threat of a buoyant in the second leg. Once again, his team's progress could hinge on the Italian's quality - both here with his stops from Martinelli and Trossard, and indeed next week in Paris.

3. Hot-and-cold Trossard

With Thomas Partey suspended, dropped Mikel Merino back into midfield and used as a number nine. The Belgian has had some big games in the position, but the opening 45 minutes suggested this might not be one of them.

Merino's striker's instinct might not have been something people anticipated early in the season, but it emerged again with his disallowed goal. Trossard himself then began to grow into the game, though, forcing a big save from Donnarumma as Arsenal threatened to hit their opponents on the break.

It's notable that the chance came from a burst down the left, though. Of the two men forced into a makeshift striker role during this run, Merino the one who has broadly fare better centrally.

4. Two big refereeing calls

Late in the first half, Arsenal were denied a clear opening as was ruled to have fouled Nuno Mendes. The Arsenal winger was none too happy, picking up a yellow card for his reaction, and the replay showed you why.

If PSG got lucky on that occasion, Arsenal were the fortunate ones earlier on. Kvaratskhelia's penalty appeal could easily have gone the other way, and a 2-0 lead for the away side might have been too much to overcome.

This is a game of 180 minutes, not 90, though. Perhaps even 210. And both teams did their best to demonstrate they were in no mood to let one first-leg call define the tie.

5. Second leg a real test of wits

Both teams will need to be at their physical best at the Parc des Princes, but it will be a mental battle as well. Very few of the players involved have reached a major final before, and it will be a question of whether they step up or freeze when the pressure is really on.

Arsenal's stars came into their own against in the quarter-final, while PSG thrived when the chips were down against in a vital league phase game. Playing for a spot in the final is a different kind of mental game, though.

By the time the second leg kicks off, these teams will know whether it's or Inter Milan in store in the final. It might feel that bit more real by then, and it'll come down to who can rise up.

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