Champions Paris Saint-Germain head into Sunday’s crunch clash in third spot, with Unai Emery’s charges three points adrift of the summit of the standings after 21 fixtures of the 2016/17 campaign. It has been a rather underwhelming season so far for the capital club, who were expected to secure another championship crown with a minimum of fuss, but there is still ample time for Paris Saint-Germain to clamber back on top of the Ligue 1 table – a position they have grown accustomed to occupying in recent years.
Monaco are the current league leaders, with their 4-0 thrashing of Lorient last time out extending their winning run to five consecutive matches in all competitions. A margin of only two points separating them from Nice in second place is far too close for comfort for Leonardo Jardim’s side, but it is important to acknowledge the tremendous job that the former Braga, Sporting Lisbon and Olympiacos boss has done so far this season: Monaco are averaging more than three goals per game in the league and have hitherto significantly exceeded the expectations that were set for them at the start of the campaign in August.
Paris Saint-Germain will probably be unable to call upon the services of Jese, Layvin Kurzawa, Alphonse Areola, Grzegorz Krychowiak, Serge Aurier and Javier Pastore. Emery has employed a 4-3-3 formation for much of the season up to now and will almost certainly stick with the same shape for their upcoming top-of-the-table clash, with Edinson Cavani leading the line ahead of a support cast comprising Julian Draxler and Lucas Moura. Marco Verratti is an excellent passer of the ball in the centre of midfield, while Thiago Silva and Marquinhos have been essential to Paris Saint-Germain’s recent record of five successive clean sheets.
Monaco, meanwhile, will be forced to make do without Nabil Dirar, Andrea Raggi and Benjamin Mendy for their trip to Paris. Jardim favours a 4-4-2 configuration with Radamel Falcao and Valere Germain, who have contributed 22 goals between them this year, starring alongside one another up front and Tiemoue Bakayoko and Fabinho forming a solid midfielder partnership. Bernardo Silva is the team’s creative influence and will look to find space between the lines of midfield and defence, while Poland international Kamil Glik has immediately become a key figure in the heart of the backline following his switch from Serie A side Torino in last summer’s transfer window.
Taking everything into account, a draw looks like the best betting option in this one. Both sides are more than capable of causing numerous problems with their attacking quality, which should result in an open and entertaining - but ultimately even - contest in the French capital. A stalemate with both Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco to score could therefore be the way to go here, with Cavani the obvious choice to open the scoring on Sunday night.
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