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Last week, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) scored four goals at home against Strasbourg to maintain their winning record in Ligue 1. In the third game week of Ligue 1 this past weekend, PSG came out all guns blazing and recorded the same 4-2 scoreline at Brest.
Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos were not ready to take to the pitch for PSG, while newly-signed Gianluigi Donnarumma was also left on the bench. Georginio Wijnaldum and Achraf Hakimi were the only two new acquisitions to feature for the nine-time Ligue 1 champions on Friday.
Ander Herrera got things underway with a goal in the first half before Kylian Mbappe doubled PSG’s advantage. Franck Honorat pulled one back for the hosts but that did not stop PSG from going all out in the second half. Idrissa Gueye restored PSG's two-goal cushion, only for Steve Mounie to make things interesting again. Finally, Argentina international, Angel di Maria, came to PSG’s rescue in the 90th minute, scoring the all-important insurance goal to seal the win.
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Many players stepped in to maintain PSG’s winning streak at Brest, but a few players were a tad more instrumental than others. On that note, here are the
Top 5 performers for PSG in their GW3 win over Brest in Ligue 1
#5 Achraf Hakimi
New-signing Achraf Hakimi was pretty impressive in his last outing for PSG. This week, too, he did everything in his power to win Mauricio Pochettino’s confidence.
As an attack-minded full-back, Hakimi was seen sprinting up the right-hand channel more often than not, but was more-or-less careful about his adventures. He completed 55 passes, with 92% accuracy and even tested the Brest keeper on a couple of occasions.
His best moment came in the dying minutes of the match as his measured pass found Angel di Maria outside the box. The Argentine expertly converted the pass by dinking the ball over the Brest keeper to seal the game.
#4 Marco Verratti
PSG midfielder Marco Verratti had a tough time last season, spending a big chunk of the 2020-21 Ligue 1 season on the sidelines. He dealt with a plethora of injuries and could only register 21 appearances across the campaign.
This year, he will hope to be a lot more influential for PSG and hopefully make a telling impact in their title quest. Verratti made his 2021-22 Ligue 1 debut against Brest on Friday, and the player showed glimpses of his best self.
Verratti was PSG’s metronome in the middle of the park and struck the perfect blend between attack and defense. He was a superb ball carrier as well, completing five dribbles in the match. His 72-minute stint also saw him make the most tackles (3) in the match.
#3 Kylian Mbappe
PSG’s golden boy Kylian Mbappe may very well be in the middle of a transfer scandal right now, but his body language and sharpness have not taken a dip in the 2021-22 Ligue 1 season. Yes, he could not make a two-goal contribution like the last game week, but his input in the first half was instrumental in setting the tone.
Against Brest, Mbappe ran down the left-hand channel more often than not and took the fight to the opposing defenders every time he could. His ambition saw him being dispossessed four times, but the initiatives he took were praiseworthy.
Mbappe’s best moment of the match came in the 36th minute, as he converted from a Brest defender’s misfortune. After Wijnaldum’s volley awkwardly hit a Brest defender, Mbappe rushed to the scene to guide the header past the Brest keeper. Apart from the first-half goal, Mbappe took three shots, with two of them working the keeper.
#2 Idrissa Gueye
When you think about goalscoring midfielders, Idrissa Gueye is unlikely to be the first name to come to mind. But on Friday, it was his screamer that practically sealed the game for PSG.
As a defensive midfielder, Gueye made sure to keep a tight lid on Brest’s attacking ambitions. He intercepted passes, cut off passing lanes, and communicated well with the back line to maintain sanity.
His goal in the last quarter of the match came from a well-worked corner routine. Following a sub-par corner clearance from Brest, PSG quickly regrouped outside the area. Gueye, who had joined the attack, received a simple pass from Ander Herrera and hit the top-left corner of the goal from a long way out. The goalkeeper got a hand to it but could not keep it from going in.
#1 Ander Herrera
Former Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera has been a valuable addition to the PSG squad, pitching in with important contributions more often than not. However, thanks to PSG’s ambitious transfer policy, Herrera is likely to have a hard time pinning down a permanent spot in the starting XI. So, it is important for him to make the most of the opportunities he gets.
Against Brest, Pochettino once again gave him a nod in central midfield, and Herrera rewarded the coach with a fine display. He was the lynchpin of PSG’s midfield and dictated the flow of the match. He completed 107 passes, with an accuracy of 95% and created four big chances.
Herrera also opened the scoring for PSG, hitting a half-volley from range. The goalkeeper should have kept the ball out, of course, but Herrera should still get the credit for trying his luck. The Spaniard also set up Gueye for a thunderous effort which saw PSG restore their two-goal cushion with around a quarter of an hour to play.
