Hardly anyone would have imagined that PSG would be winless after the first two rounds, and that Monaco would be comfortably top of Ligue 1. Adding to the bad news for the Parisians is the fact that Monaco were the only team to beat them twice last season. So Friday's clash could go either way.
It’s time for PSG’s first home game, having faced an extremely tough run of fixtures at the start of the season. An away trip to Rennes in the opening round, followed by an away trip to Lille, and now a match against Monaco.
The Parisians’ attacking prowess needs no introduction, but their defensive problems haven’t been this serious for years. And given that Monaco have scored five goals in their last two away trips to the Parc des Princes, there is certainly cause for concern.
The Monegasques have made a perfect start to the season with four wins domestically and abroad, and in the last round they also beat Marseille 2–0.
So Monaco are making a serious statement at the start of the season, and a third consecutive victory over PSG in Ligue 1 would be phenomenal.
How the bookies view it: They all underestimate Monaco
Despite their problems, the Parisians remain the overwhelming favourites to win on Friday, which presents huge opportunities for anyone who believes they are set for a fourth consecutive match without a win.
At the moment, you can back PSG at around 2/5, whilst Monaco are available at 5/1. A draw is priced at 4/1.
Recent head-to-head: Monaco won a Ligue 1 double
As mentioned, Monaco secured a double over PSG in Ligue 1 last season. This should not detract from the fact that the Parisians knocked them out of the Champions League, but the Monegasques were the only team to beat them twice last year.
Players to watch: Brunner is the next big thing
Monaco have discovered their next star, and it is 20-year-old Paris Brunner. The youngster made just seven appearances last season, but this campaign he is already a first-team regular.
Brunner has featured in all four of Monaco’s matches since the start of the season, scoring four goals already. He scored once in each of the two Conference League qualifiers, and netted a winning brace against Marseille.
We’re all well aware of the world-class strikers playing for the opposition, but Brunner’s form certainly suggests he could be worth a bet on him to score in this match.
Probable line-ups
Paris Saint-Germain: Safonov, Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Digne, Zaire-Emery, Vitinha, Fernandez, Doue, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia
Monaco: Hradecky, Vanderson, Sane, Dier, Nazinho, Camara, Zakaria, Idumbo, Golovin, Coulibaly, Brunner
Anything else catch the eye?
PSG will come to their senses sooner or later and start dominating again, but Monaco look like a team that can rise to the challenge at the moment. And that’s why I think there’s great value in the 3/5 odds the bookmakers are offering on both teams to score.
Separately, I’ve spotted a decent bet on Monaco: over 2.5 shots on target, varying between 2/5 and 1/2 across the different bookies. But perhaps the odds are a bit low, so my next bet is on over 9.5 shots for Monaco at 17/20.
GambleAware