Ligue 1: Paris Saint-Germain face resurgent Lyon, Marseille lock horns with Rennes

Although there were fewer goals (28) across the last round of fixtures, Ligue 1 has a familiar look about it. Paris Saint-Germain has pressed home their advantage at the top of the table, but Angers remain unbeaten in their first five matches. We’ll look ahead to two weekend games — Paris Saint-Germain v Lyon and Marseille v Rennes. We will also dissect the latest match odds.

Paris Saint-Germain looking ominous after sweeping past Clermont

We all knew we were going to see the real Paris Saint-Germain this season. They are looking rather ominous after making it five wins in five as they cantered to a 4-0 victory over Clermont last weekend. Ander Herrera was magnificent once again, as he scored a first-half brace before Kylian Mbappé slotted home for his fourth of the campaign 10 minutes after the restart.

Idrissa Gueye headed home in the 65th minute to round off the scoring and cap an excellent day for PSG. While PSG made things look easy, it was a great way to set themselves up for a pivotal week ahead, which sees them pay a visit to Club Brugge for their opening Champions League group game.

• Paris Saint-Germain to beat Lyon @3/10 with Casumo
• Paris Saint-Germain to win to nil @5/4 with Casumo

Uncovering the key stats behind Paris Saint-Germain’s win over Clermont

There were some virtuoso displays against Clermont. Among the key takeaways from the victory, was that it was the third time in PSG’s history they have won each of their five Ligue 1 games. Gianluigi Donnarumma marked his first outing with a clean sheet, while Mbappé has now had a goal involvement in his last 10 Ligue 1 appearances (11 goals and three assists).

Lyon growing in confidence after slow start

After a tentative start to the campaign, Lyon are growing in confidence. They claimed back-to-back victories by seeing off Strasbourg 3-1 last weekend. Moussa Dembele continued his fine goalscoring form as he netted the opener after eight minutes before Jason Denayer and Lucas Paqueta sealed the win. It was their first home win of the term, and Lyon have climbed to seventh in the table.

Lyon announce three-year deal for Bradley Barcola

Lyon are looking to the future, and they are desperate to keep hold of the most promising academy products. In doing so, they have tied striker Bradley Barcola down to a three-year professional deal which will keep him at the club until 2024. This follows on from contract extensions for defender Castello Lukeba, midfielder Mohamed El Arouch and goalkeeper Justin Bengui.

No Dimitri Payet, no worry for Marseille as they brush aside Monaco

Marseille fans may have been fearing the worst against Monaco as they were bereft of Dimitri Payet through suspension and Arkadiusz Milik was injured. But Bamba Dieng proved to be the man of the hour, as he fired a double in a 2-0 victory. Had Payet and Milik been available, Dieng probably would have been left on the bench.

But when given the opportunity, Dieng seized it. He looks like a star in the making, and his electric pace meant he gave Monaco’s backline the runaround. Dieng — who counts Sadio Mane and Alexis Sanchez among his idols — told a funny anecdote after the game. He said: “I was told to calm down after hitting the post. I calmed down and I scored!”

• Marseille to beat Rennes @19/20 with Casumo
• Both Teams to Score @17/20 with Casumo

Meanwhile, Marseille’s match with Nice has been rearranged for October 27. There were ugly scenes last month when fans invaded the pitch and players exchanged blows. Nice was handed a two-point penalty, while Marseille defender Álvaro Gonzalez and physio Pablo Fernandez were also slapped with bans. However, the game will now be played at a neutral venue.

Rennes desperate to stop the rot after disappointing run

Rennes could have their work cut out against Marseille on Sunday. After a solid, if not unspectacular start, the wheels have come off for Rennes a bit in the last couple of weeks. Back-to-back defeats came against Angers and Reims respectively, and before they travel to Marseille, they host Tottenham in the Europa League conference.

Currently, Rennes occupy 11th position in Ligue 1, but they haven’t done well on their travels against Marseille. Last season, Rennes fell to a 1-0 defeat at the Stade Velodrome, and their last win there came four years ago. Marseille is in a rich vein of form, and Rennes could be in for a rough ride if they are too passive.

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