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#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.
