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Mauricio Pochettino’s Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) will look to maintain their 12-point advantage at the summit when they take on third-placed Nice in Ligue 1 on Wednesday night.
Having picked up 40 points from 15 games, PSG are practically running away with the Ligue 1 title this season. Nice, on the other hand, have lost a bit of momentum in recent weeks and are trailing the leaders by 14 points.
Pochettino’s Parisians got the better of Saint-Etienne on matchday 15, cruising to a comfortable 3-1 win away from home. Unfortunately, that victory came at a cost, with PSG’s star man Neymar picking up an injury late in the match. Having been stretchered off the field, Neymar is expected to miss at least a month of football.
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Mauro Icardi, Georginio Wijnaldum, Ander Herrera, Julian Draxler and Marco Verratti will all miss out along with the Brazilian superstar, giving Pochettino a selection headache.
Here's how PSG could line up in their Ligue 1 encounter against Nice on Wednesday:
Goalkeeper - Keylor Navas
Keylor Navas was given marching orders against Nantes in gameweek 14, which saw him miss out on PSG’s trip to Saint-Etienne last weekend.
Gianluigi Donnarumma more than filled in for the former Real Madrid man, but the Italian might have to make way for the veteran against Nice.
Navas has played in nine Ligue 1 games this season, keeping four clean sheets.
Right-back - Achraf Hakimi
Morocco international Achraf Hakimi has not been in the best of form in recent matches, but Pochettino seems reluctant to bench the right-back.
Hakimi will need to use his pace to break through Nice’s lines. The 23-year-old just cannot afford to let another game pass him by.
Centre-back - Marquinhos
PSG’s Brazilian defender Marquinhos is in the form of his life. Not only is he defending expertly, but he also scored two great goals against Saintt-Etienne last weekend.
Pochettino is unlikely to rest him in the crucial game against Nice.
Centre-back - Abdou Diallo
Sergio Ramos played the full 90 against Saint-Etienne, but Pochettino is unlikely to push him too much, too soon.
Abdou Diallo is a capable centre-back and should do just fine against Nice.
Left-back - Nuno Mende
Nuno Mendes’ questionable run of form saw him sit on the bench against Saint-Etienne.
Against Nice, Mendes should return to the fold and must reward his coach’s faith with an impressive performance.
Central midfielder - Danilo Pereira
Despite having one of the best squads in the world, PSG are spread unexpectedly thin in the middle of the park. Ander Herrera, Marco Verratti and Giorginio Wijnaldum are all expected to miss the tie, giving Pereira another shot at impressing his PSG boss.
The Portuguese midfielder is not the most versatile midfielder, but he adds a lot of steel to PSG's midfield. With him sitting in the middle, Nice are not expected to overpower the midfield, not with ease at least.
Pereira represented PSG against Saint-Etienne and put on a respectable show. He won four ground duels, made four tackles and finished the game with 100 percent passing accuracy.
All in all, it was an impressive shift from the experienced midfielder who is expected to produce something similar against Nice on Wednesday.
Defensive midfielder - Idrissa Gueye
With Neymar and Mauro Icardi ruled out, PSG are set to deploy Angel Di Maria as a winger. The switch could see Idrissa Gueye act as a lone defensive midfielder, shielding PSG's backline.
The former Everton midfielder is an expert at winning ground duels, can tackle well, and is also a great dribbler. The aforementioned traits were on full display in PSG’s previous outing against Saint-Etienne. In his 75-minute stint, Gueye made three key passes, completed three dribbles and won seven duels.
His performance in PSG’s last match should earn him a place in the starting XI against Nice and the Senegalese is not likely to disappoint.
Central midfielder - Leandro Paredes
On his day, Leandro Paredes can give any midfielder a run for his money. He is agile, technically gifted, and is blessed with excellent game-reading skills.
Unfortunately, niggling injuries have kept him from fulfilling his potential at PSG.
Paredes has missed six matches this season alone due to fitness and injuries, which has badly disrupted his flow. Paredes made a cameo appearance off the bench in the 3-1 win over Saint-Etienne and looked at ease.
Considering PSG’s lack of options in midfield, Paredes could end up making his fifth Ligue 1 appearance for PSG on Wednesday. Paredes' connection with compatriot Messi should also come in handy when charging ahead.
Right-winger - Lionel Messi
PSG’s most decorated player, seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, Lionel Messi is set to start the match on the right-wing against Nice. Messi, who won the most prestigious individual accolade on Monday, will back himself to get on the scoresheet against Nice.
Deployed as an attacking midfielder against Saint-Etienne, Messi enjoyed pulling strings from the middle of the park. The Argentine pitched in with three invaluable assists, setting the course for PSG’s 3-1 win.
With Neymar ruled out, PSG might have to revert to a more restrictive 4-3-3 formation, meaning Messi could return to the right-wing. However, we do not expect him to stick to that position for the entirety of the match against Nice.
There have been reports of Messi suffering from gastroenteritis but his participation has not been ruled out yet.
Centre forward - Kylian Mbappe
Prior to the 2021-22 Ligue 1 campaign, Kylian Mbappe was seen as a more traditional goalscorer. He could assist, of course, but goalscoring was his main USP. Mbappe seems to have matured as a footballer this season and is contributing more to PSG’s gameplay.
Mbappe still loves playing down the middle, but he now squares off the ball a lot more frequently than he used to. In Ligue 1 this season, Mbappe has not only scored seven goals but also provided seven assists, emerging as the league’s top assist provider.
PSG’s midweek opponents are not too fond of leaving space behind. Mbappe will have to use his clever movement to carve out opportunities. It will be interesting to see how he combines with the great Lionel Messi to trouble the Nice defense.
Left-winger - Angel Di Maria
Angel Di Maria may not be the most valuable player PSG have at their disposal but he constantly proves himself to be the most versatile. Di Maria can play on either wing as an attacking midfielder, or even in a false nine system, giving Pochettino many options to work with.
Against Nice, Di Maria is expected to be part of PSG’s three-man attack and start the game on the left flank. Thanks to the overlapping runs of Nuno Mendes, Di Maria could cut in more frequently and try to test the keeper with his curling efforts.
