Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, PSG
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Don't look back in Angers: PSG on cusp of title

Don't look back in Angers: PSG on cusp of title

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Publish on 04/18 at 20:46

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Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi and Co. will be crowned Ligue 1 Uber Eats champions on Wednesday if Paris Saint-Germain win and Olympique de Marseille lose...

Angers SCO - Paris Saint-Germain

 

Kick-off: 19:00 GMT

 

>> LIVE SCORING, STATS AND COMMENTARY

 

PSG are top of the table on 74 points, 15 clear of second-placed Olympique de Marseille having beaten their great rivals 2-1 in le Classique on Sunday. Should Paris win at Angers SCO while Marseille lose to FC Nantes, a 10th Ligue 1 Uber Eats title would be theirs.

 

Neymar Jr. and Mbappé got PSG's goals at the Parc des Princes on Sunday, either side of what proved to be nothing more than a consolation Duje Caleta-Car strike, but the former will have to watch on from the sidelines on Wednesday after an accumulation of yellow cards.

 

Neymar out; Navas in?

 

Angel Di Maria is likely to replace Neymar in the final third, while Sergio Ramos and Keylor Navas are among those pushing to be rotated in against a team PSG beat 2-1 in October's reverse fixture.

 

Watch: Highlights of PSG's 2-1 win over Marseille



"Player returns are not always linear," coach Mauricio Pochettino said when asked about Gigi Donnarumma's chances of keeping his place in goal at Navas's expense.

 

"I'm happy with what he's doing but we've got two very good goalkeepers. Keylor came back from Costa Rica injured but he trained on Saturday and was in the squad on Sunday. I'm happy with Gigio but there are ups and downs..."

 

Weight of history

 

Abdou Diallo and Leandro Paredes join Neymar on the sidelines with groin complaints, while Julian Draxler still has an injured knee, but PSG remain overwhelming favourites to extend an undefeated run against Angers which stretches back to 1993.

 

Angers are 13 places and 40 points worse off than their visitors, although they do boast a healthy eight-point cushion on the automatic relegation places. Les Scoïstes drew 1-1 with FC Nantes on Sunday, with Sofian Boufal seeing his first-half strike cancelled out by Kalifa Coulibaly soon after the restart.

 

Watch: Highlights of Angers 1-1 draw at Nantes



Angers have only lost one of their last four games, however, and they will take solace from the fact that that first meeting with PSG was only three minutes away from being another draw, Mbappé having denied them a share of the spoils late on.

 

"We didn't manage to protect the three points," Pochettino's opposite number Gérald Baticle said of the Nantes game. "But we came away with one which we had to dig deep for. This attitude is necessary in our mission for survival. Even towards the end, I thought we might still win."

 

No way Bahoken

 

Angers are still without striker Stéphane Bahoken - owner of two career goals against PSG - and winger Mathias Pereira Lage due to a thigh injury and a training ground knock respectively.

 

Angelo Fulgini, Romain Thomas and Batista Mendy are among those who are one booking away from a suspension, but each should start at the Stade Raymond Kopa.

 

Possible teams

 

Angers: Mandrea; Traoré, Thomas, Ebosse; Mendy; Bamba, Bentaleb, Capelle, Doumbia; Fulgini; Boufal

 

PSG: Navas; Hakimi, Ramos, Kimpembe, Mendes; Wijnaldum, Pereira, Verratti; Di Maria, Messi, Mbappé

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