PSG return to Ligue 1 action following a short yet victorious trip to Qatar, as they resume their title charge on home soil against Saint-Etienne.
PSG went to Qatar for the latest edition of the Trophee des Champions and came back victorious, with their next assignment coming in Ligue 1 against Saint-Etienne. The reigning champions took on last season’s runners-up AS Monaco in a thrilling final, which needed a second-half injury-time winner from Ousmane Dembele to let the Parisians lift the trophy for the 11th time in the last 12 years.
While the club and the players are still buzzing from that win, they have to shift their focus back onto thick domestic action as they take on Saint-Etienne, as Ligue 1 action resumes in France. PSG, who are unbeaten in seven games across all competitions heading into the weekend, will aim to maintain or extend their seven-point advantage at the top of the standings.
PSG are unbeaten and will want to stay like that for the time being, as Luis Enrique would want a comfortable result to build momentum towards some key games against RC Lens and then with Manchester City in the Champions League. For now, they will want to keep their dominance at the top of the Ligue 1 standings with a victory over Saint-Etienne.
Eirik Horneland made a winning start to life as the new Saint-Etienne manager following the dismissal of Olivier Dall’Oglio after a disastrous run this season. The club are stationed just about in the relegation playoff spots, and Horneland will want to climb up the table.
The chances of that happening at the weekend are remote as he takes his side to one of the daunting venues in the league, where PSG have won seven of their last eight games domestically at least. Horneland has started his reign with a 3-1 win over Stade Reims, and Saint-Etienne fans will hope their new manager bounce lasts for more than one game on the stretch.
There is only little room for error for Saint-Etienne, given how closely contested their current position is, as there are two teams with the same amount of points above them and one on 17. The only caveat for Horneland is that PSG often fail to perform in their first game of a calendar year, and that might be the only hope for Saint-Etienne when they come to play in Paris, although they are clearly the underdogs in this tie.
Team News & Tactics
PSG
PSG have no players missing ahead of their home clash, meaning Luis Enrique will have a full complement of players to choose from, and he will select his strongest lineup against Saint-Etienne. The big news ahead of this month is the potential arrival of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, although for now, Enrique might have to rely on his current attackers.
Bradley Barcola, who remains the joint-second top scorer in the league, will continue to keep his place in the attacking setup, while Marco Asensio and Ousmane Dembele complete the front three. Vitinha will sit at the base of the midfield, receiving support from Warren Zaire-Emery and Joao Neves on either side.
At the back, PSG have the luxury of choosing the best defensive setup for this one. Willian Pacho will certainly start, and Marquinhos will partner him in central defence. Achraf Hakimi will play the right-back role, while Nuno Mendes will take the left-back slot.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Zaire-Emery, Vitinha, Neves; Dembele, Asensio, Barcola
Saint-Etienne
Unlike PSG, Saint-Etienne has a rather long list of injured players to contend without for this trip to Paris. Mathis Amougou, Ibrahima Wadji, Yvann Macon, Ben Old and Thomas Monconduit are all out of the contest and are only expected to return to action later in the month.
Ibrahim Sissoko is also suspended, meaning there will be a change in the forward line for Saint-Etienne. As for Eirik Horneland’s setup, he will continue with an attacking formation with his variation of the 4-3-3.
Dylan Batubinsika and Mickael Nade are the choices in the central defence, with Dennis Appiah and Leo Petrot in the full-back roles. Pierre Ekwah will sit at the base of the Saint-Etienne midfield, receiving support from Benjamin Bouchouari and Louis Mouton on either side.
Augustine Boakye and Zuriko Davitashvili will ply in the wide areas of the front three, with Lucas Stassin leading the line for Saint-Etienne against PSG at Parc des Princes on Sunday night.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Larsonneur; Appiah, Batubinsika, Nade, Petrot; Bouchouari, Ekwah, Mouton; Boakye, Stassin, Davitashvili
Key Stats
- Paris Saint-Germain are undefeated in their last 26 matches against Saint-Etienne in all competitions.
- Paris Saint-Germain are undefeated in their last 18 matches in Ligue 1.
- PSG have won seven of their last eight Ligue 1 games at home.
- Saint-Etienne have yet to win an away game in Ligue 1 this season.
Player to Watch
Bradley Barcola
The French winger could become a big story in this current transfer window, as there is big talk of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia coming to PSG this month. Should the Georgian international arrive, it would certainly threaten Barcola’s place on the left wing, as the Napoli man prefers to play there.
However, the transfer is not yet done, and Barcola does have a big chance to showcase he is the man to take the team forward in the attacking third. Hence, this Saint-Etienne clash is an opportunity to show Luis Enrique he is the main man for the left-wing position.
Prediction
PSG 3-0 Saint-Etienne
Saint-Etienne might have felt the new manager bounce with Eirik Horneland winning his first game in charge, but he may find it tough to replicate that in this clash. PSG away is probably the most daunting fixture for any Ligue 1 club at the moment, meaning the chances of them causing an upset here are slim to none.
PSG are formidable at home and will likely continue on this form for the foreseeable future and maintain their lead at the top of the standings. Their recent win in Qatar will also bring about a confidence boost in this team, although that may not be needed, as PSG are overwhelming favourites to take three points and keep a clean sheet.
