Mbappe Dembele Donnarumma GFXGetty

PSG player ratings vs Newcastle: Kylian Mbappe gets Gianluigi Donnarumma and Ousmane Dembele out of jail as controversial penalty earns vital Champions League draw

A late, and immensely controversial Kylian Mbappe penalty saved Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday, as they otherwise did little to deserve a 1-1 draw against Newcastle that keeps their Champions League destiny in their own hands.

Mbappe came close early on, forcing Nick Pope into a tidy save after guiding a backheel on goal. Newcastle responded with a chance of their own, with Alexander Isak firing narrowly over after ghosting into space inside the six-yard box. He didn't miss at the second time of asking, turning the ball home from inches out after a Gianluigi Donnarumma blunder.

The Parisians offered more attacking thrust after the break, applying pressure against a tired Newcastle outfit. Substitute winger Bradley Barcola missed a quartet of opportunities. Mbappe, too, had his chances, bashing one shot at the goalkeeper before blasting another wide, while Ousmane Dembele also missed a couple of good opportunities.

The equaliser eventually came, as Mbappe buried a spot-kick after a puzzling handball decision was given against Tino Livramento, meaning a win over Borussia Dortmund in their final match will seal qualification for the knockout stages.

GOAL rates PSG's players from Parc des Princes...

  • Achraf Hakimi PSG 2023-24Getty Images

    Goalkeeper & Defence

    Gianluigi Donnarumma (4/10):

    Unsteady with the ball at his feet. Spilled Almiron's shot to gift Newcastle the opener in his one real action of the contest.

    Achraf Hakimi (5/10):

    Devastating going forward in the early goings. Was bailed out by an Isak miss after a silly giveaway. Didn't do enough to stop the lively Gordon, either.

    Milan Skriniar (7/10):

    Really solid at the back throughout. Made one crucial intervention to prevent Isak from running through on goal on the stroke of half-time.

    Danilo Pereira (4/10):

    Brought in to play centre-back in the absence of Marquinhos. Didn't exactly turn in an inspiring performance, and looked unsteady for long stretches.

    Lucas Hernandez (5/10):

    Not able to get forward much, and was mostly conservative in his passing.

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  • Lee Kang-in PSG 2023-24Getty Images

    Midfield

    Manuel Ugarte (4/10):

    Seemed to enjoy the physicality of things. Flew into tackles, but wasn't always the most composed. Passed sideways a lot. Seemed to be a bad tackle away from a red card when he was subbed on the hour.

    Fabian Ruiz (4/10):

    On the ball a lot, but not necessarily decisive when he had it. Paper-thin defensively, though, and pushed around by Newcastle's bulkier midfield.

    Lee Kang-In (5/10):

    Bright in the first half, and looked to create when he got on the ball. Less involved in the second.

  • Ousmane Dembele PSG 2023-24Getty Images

    Attack

    Ousmane Dembele (3/10):

    Scampered down the wing with regularity, but was frustratingly lacking in direction once he got into key areas. Put a few shots wide, and made the wrong decision too often. Got booked for a silly foul, and will miss the next game. Livramento looked after him well, too.

    Randal Kolo Muani (5/10):

    Offered a solid central presence when the Parisians attacked, but his quality on the ball was lacking. Subbed after an hour, and is yet to hit a groove in the capital.

    Kylian Mbappe (5/10):

    Forced Pope into a tidy save early on. Went for a bicycle kick when things weren't going his way. Some nice flicks and tricks got the Parisians going as the second half wore on. Scored from the spot in second-half stoppage-time — he was never going to miss.

  • Luis Enrique PSG 2023-24Getty Images

    Subs & Manager

    Bradley Barcola (5/10):

    Missed a lot of chances after coming on. Part wasteful, part unlucky.

    Vitinha (5/10):

    Tidy in central areas, and happy to link the midfield to the forward line.

    Goncalo Ramos (5/10):

    Scarcely involved.

    Marco Asensio (3/10):

    Tried too hard to make things happen, and bashed the ball over the bar a lot.

    Luis Enrique (4/10):

    Avoided the 4-2-4 setup that proved costly in the reverse fixture, but his side was still outdone by Newcastle's raw physicality and energy. The Parisians made a mistake to go 1-0 down, and were forced to push for an equaliser. An absolute robbery to get a point, in the end.