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One of the biggest fixtures in the French top flight will take place when Olympique de Marseille host PSG at the Orange Velodrome this weekend. There has been no shortage of high voltage fixtures this week and Marseille's encounter with PSG is mouthwatering to say the least.
Jorge Sampaoli's Marseille are third in the Ligue 1 table, having played a match less than the top two. With five wins, two draws, and two losses, they have accumulated 17 points from their nine league games. After a fabulous start to the season, Sampaoli's men have won only two of their last five league games.
Meanwhile, PSG have been ruthlessly dominant in the French top flight since surprisingly losing the title last season. Mauricio Pochettino's team are at the top of the Ligue 1 table with 27 points with a massive lead of nine points.
PSG have the advantage against their rivals Marseille in the history of 'Le Classique'. After a sensational transfer window, the Ligue 1 giants have arguably the best squad in the whole of Europe. On that note, we will be giving our top five predictions of the epic rivalry.
Without further ado, here are our
Top five predictions: Marseille vs PSG.
#5 Dimitri Payet to play a part for Marseille
Dimitri Payet is turning back the years under the tutelage of Jorge Sampaoli. The 34-year old has been constantly troubling opponents' defenses with his creative prowess upfront. With five goals and four assists in the French top flight, Payet has been one of the best players so far.
Marseille has scored 18 league goals this campaign with Payet playing a part in 50% of those goals. The French attacking midfielder is known for his vision and breaks past defensive barriers with relative ease. It is difficult to keep an in-form Payet quiet and it is likely that he will again be decisive for Marseille.
#4 PSG's disorganized defense to be a concern
Despite bolstering their squad with some world class signings, PSG are far from perfect. Pochettino is yet to find the perfect combination, especially for midfield and defense.
The Ligue 1 giants have conceded ten goals so far in Ligue 1. Although they have enough individual quality in their ranks, PSG are finding it hard to keep a clean sheet. Full-backs like Achraf Hakimi and Benat are more focused on their offensive approach, which does more harm than good at times.
With Sergio Ramos out with injury, PSG are in desperate need of a defensive leader. Marseille will be hoping to use their flaws to cause damage during their offensive approach.
#3 Marseille to struggle against PSG's attacking trio
With the addition of Lionel Messi in the summer, PSG have assembled the world's best attacking trio on paper. While the football world is yet to witness the devastating trio at their best, we have got glimpses of their caliber. It goes without saying that the three of them can change the tie in a glimpse of an eye on their day.
In their last match against RB Leipzig in the Champions League, PSG secured a 3-2 victory. Despite Neymar's absence, Kylian Mbappe and Messi were both mercurial and got their names on the scoresheet. Neymar is set to feature against Marseille and he already boasts a strong record against them.
Even the most organized defenses are likely to be challenged by PSG's world class attacking trio. Marseille are no exception and our guess is that their defense will falter against the front three.
#2 Kylian Mbappe to get on the scoresheet
Kylian Mbappe has been simply unstoppable for PSG so far this campaign. In awe-inspiring form, the French sensation is one of the top goalscorers in Ligue 1 with five goals.
With his blistering runs on the flanks and an insatiable hunger for goals, Mbappe has been dictating the results of the game singlehandedly. It is no secret that defenders find him hard to mark due to his pace, agility and movement in the final third.
If Mbappe is not putting the ball into the net, he is finding ways to create for his teammates. Due to his exploits, he has racked up eight assists in all competitions - four each in Ligue 1 and the Champions League.
After inspiring a comeback against Angers in Ligue 1, Mbappe scored a goal, assisted another and won a penalty versus Leipzig. Considering his outrageous form, it is highly likely that Mbappe will score again versus Marseille.
#1 Individual quality to help PSG secure three points
With a strong start to the campaign, Marseille have shown that they are no pushovers. The rivalry is expected to boil over and Sampaoli's men will be itching to collect all three points at home against their arch rivals.
Meanwhile, PSG are banking more on the individual quality of their front three to gain victories. It has worked for Les Parisiens, who sit comfortably at the top of their table.
While Marseille are more of a cohesive unit, the pressure will be on them to secure three points and reduce the gap at the top. Our guess is that PSG will once again emerge as victors due to the sheer individual quality in their team.
