PSG vs Man City: EPL Giants Fight Back To Beat Les Parisiens​​​​​​​ In Champions League, Guardiola Reacts

Manchester City took a big step towards qualifying for their first UEFA Champions League (UCL) final on Wednesday with a 2-1 win at Paris St Germain (PSG).

Goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Riyad Mahrez earned them the comeback win in the semi-final first leg match.

PSG went ahead courtesy of a Marquinhos header in the first half, but Mauricio Pochettino’s side lost control after the break.

De Bruyne and Mahrez found the back of the net respectively in the space of eight minutes to secure Manchester City’s 18th consecutive away win in all competitions.

Last year’s runners-up, PSG, then found themselves with a higher mountain to climb as they were reduced to 10 men.

Midfielder Idrissa Gueye picked up a straight red card in the 77th minute for a reckless challenge on Ilkay Gundogan.

The French champions will need to show next Tuesday the same away form which enabled them to succeed in earlier rounds, if they are to progress.

They beat FC Barcelona at the Camp Nou and Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena in previous rounds.

Manchester City dominated the early possession but PSG were the more dangerous side with Brazilian forward Neymar testing goalkeeper Ederson twice.

Marquinhos, returning to the team from an injury suffered in the quarter-final first leg against Bayern Munich, put the hosts in front.

That was when he headed home Angel Di Maria’s whipped corner-kick in the 15th minute.

Manchester City, overly cautious for fear of being punished on the break, were again exposed on a set-piece when Leandro Paredes headed Neymar’s corner-kick just wide.

Pep Guardiola’s side lacked their usual composure, with Joao Cancelo picking up a yellow card for a woeful challenge on Kylian Mbappe.

Manchester City’s first real chance came in the 42nd minute when Phil Foden, played infield by Bernardo Silva, shot too close to PSG goalkeeper Keylor Navas.

The visitors were more attack-minded in the second half and they equalised after 64 minutes.

This was when De Bruyne, from a corner-kick by Oleksandr Zinchenko, who had just replaced Cancelo, sent in a cross.

Navas failed to react as it curled into the far corner of the net.

The goalkeeper was beaten again seven minutes later when Mahrez’s free-kick flew through an inadequate PSG wall.

Gueye’s dismissal for a wild tackle on Gundogan made Manchester City’s task easier and they will take a big advantage into the second leg in Manchester.

PSG vs Man City: What Guardiola said after victory

Meanwhile, City boss Guardiola says his side could face elimination if they are "shy" in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Paris St-Germain next Tuesday.

"It's halfway for the job and it is simple, if we play shy and not who we are, PSG have the quality to win 2-0," Guardiola said post-match.

"If we play like the second half or in our last games, we have the chance to reach the final."

City, who could wrap up the English Premier League (EPL) title this weekend, are in only their second Champions League semi-final, having lost to Real Madrid in 2016.

"It is a team that is able to do whatever they want because they have the quality to do it. That's why, when you start the game, you are a little bit cautious.

“At half-time I said I'm not complaining, I understand you feel the responsibility because you want to get to the final," said Guardiola.

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"It's just to understand how to handle this and be ourselves, don't be shy. If we lose, we lose.

“If we don't get to the final we will try again next season, but try to play our game like we spoke without the ball. 

"What is our identity with and without the ball? Go out there and try to do it. And they were fantastic.

“I admire them for how they went from being not good to how they changed to do well." 

PSG lost last season's Champions League final to Bayern Munich and replaced Thomas Tuchel with former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino earlier this season. 

Tuchel is now at Chelsea, who drew 1-1 at Real Madrid in the other semi-final first leg on Tuesday.

"I'm sure the second leg will be different because Mauricio will learn from watching the game," Guardiola said.

"We will also watch the game and change some things to be more fluid and aggressive in our game. 

"I was happy that in the locker room afterwards the players were so calm. No cheering, just calm, because we know anything can happen in the second leg. Now we go to Crystal Palace with an incredible opportunity for the Premier League and three days later try to play a good game against PSG again and reach the final."

Guardiola has enjoyed huge success in his five years at Manchester City with an eighth trophy on the way once they wrap up the league. But this is the furthest he has taken City in Europe.

"It is the second time in our history at this stage," the two-time Champions League winner as Barcelona boss said. 

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"So many players, 80% of them, it is the first time they have played in the semi-finals of the Champions League. It is not like other teams that have played many times. It is a process. 

"It is just to convince them when we play who we are, everything is easier. Hopefully next game it is going to happen. 

"If we reach the final it makes sense of what we've done. What we've done is incredible. It would be a dream to reach the final and we'll try to do it."

The result was a disappointment for PSG and Pochettino, who has yet to win a trophy as a manager. They sit one point behind Lille in the French league with four games to go.

"We need to win and score two goals, so the feeling is not good," he said.

"It is not the moment to talk. It is very painful. We are all disappointed. We need to build our form. 

"It is going to be difficult but we have to believe we can do it in Manchester.

“We have the talent to do what we want."