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It is a clash between two European heavyweights as Paris Saint-Germain host Manchester City in an all-important Champions League encounter. The two clubs will meet for the sixth time in this competition, and the French side are still looking for their first win against Manchester City.
While they haven't dominated games like they usually do, PSG's domestic campaign has gotten off to a perfect start as they have won all eight games so far. Pep Guardiola's Manchester City haven't been flawless, but three points against Chelsea meant they climbed up to second place after six games.
PSG have been handed a morale boost after both Lionel Messi and Marco Verratti were deemed fit and available for selection. This means that the the highly-anticipated attacking trio of Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe could potentially be on display tomorrow. In the Manchester City camp, Ilkay Gundogan and Oleksandr Zinchenko are still out and will miss the trip to Paris.
The English champions have already stamped their authority in this group after a 6-3 win against Leipzig in game-week one. The opening-day draw with Brugge meant PSG had to settle for a point leading into this fixture. Keeping all that in mind, let us take a look at the five key players who might decide the outcome of this game.
#5 Achraf Hakimi
After a summer full of speculation and drama, Hakimi joined PSG this summer from Inter Milan. The full-back has hit the ground running from the word go and has become an integral part of Mauricio Pochettino's setup. While PSG's defensive issues have not been sorted just yet, Hakimi adds a different dimension to their attack. With three goals and two assists, Hakimi has been involved in five goals in just seven starts.
Manchester City like to keep a highline and knowing how adventurous Hakimi is, he will surely find space to run in behind. The 22-year old Moroccon will also be up against Jack Grealish in an interesting match-up.
#4 Kevin De Bruyne
He started the season with some injury issues but Manchester City's talisman is fully fit and ready to go. With his wicked crossing ability and exceptional vision, De Bruyne adds creativity and confidence to the team. The Belgian has led from the front in the last couple of seasons and has emerged as a leader in that squad.
Against a star-studded PSG side, Kevin De Bruyne will have to be at his best to steal the spotlight. The 30-year old has good memories of the Parc des Princes when he, along with Riyad Mahrez, ran the show in last season's semi-final between Manchester City and PSG.
#3 Kylian Mbappe
It has been a good start to the season for Kylian Mbappe, who currently leads the chart for most goals for PSG this season. The young sensation also has the most direct goal contributions in Ligue 1. While it has been a good start, the Frenchman has failed to find the net in his last four games in all competitions.
A four-game dry run is not a concern for a player of Mbappe's quality, but Pochettino will be hoping that he breaks that duck against the Cityzens. Manchester City will need to keep a close eye on Mbappe to make sure he doesn't get a chance to run behind their back-line.
#2 Ruben Dias
Ruben Dias has been an inspirational signing for Manchester City. Not only has the Portuguese defender easily adapted to the Premier League, he has also become an integral part of Pep Guardiola's system. From ball-playing abilities to last ditch tackles, Dias has shown that he has it all. The 24-year-old put in an exceptional performance against Chelsea and will now be focusing on his next big challenge.
It will take a huge defensive shift to get the better of the frontline, potentially consisting of Neymar, Mbappe and Messi. Guardiola praised the amount of quality and talent at PSG and admitted he didn't know how to stop that attack. If Manchester City do manage to do it, expect a massive performance from Ruben Dias.
#1 Lionel Messi
There have been doubts about his involvement in this particular fixture but Mauricio Pochettino has declared Lionel Messi will be available for selection. Messi has had injury problems since joining PSG and has featured only three times for his new club. The Argentine has made a slow start and is yet to score or assist but Pochettino is sure that Messi will find his form against Manchester City.
There is no certainty about him starting the game but he will be involved at some point. Big games call for big players and this could finally be the game that gets him going. Will we see Lionel Messi score for his new club? Only time will tell.
