The 2017/18 Ligue 1 season is well and truly underway and matchweek 14 sees France’s two biggest teams go head-to-head. Star-studded PSG make the trip to big-spending Monaco as the top two sides face off. It’s the visitors who currently lead the way in 1^st after dropping just four points from their 13 matches while the hosts aren’t far behind in 2^nd with a six-point gap between them and the league leaders.

STATS

• After their fantastic title-winning campaign last term, it has taken Monaco a while to get back into their groove this season. They have already lost two matches, just one fewer than they managed throughout the whole of last season, but have also won nine of their games. They have continued their brilliant form in front of goal and with 35 goals already, only PSG have scored more in Ligue 1.
• PSG have been in scintillating form and are just four points off a perfect start while staying unbeaten in the process. They have won 11 and drawn two of their opening 13 matches and are looking impossible to beat in the league, especially with a strike force of Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Edinson Cavani. With 43 goals, they are averaging more than three goals a game.
• Falcao played a vital role in Monaco’s title triumph last season and with 13 Ligue 1 goals already, he is continuing that fantastic form. He is averaging 65 minutes per goal in the league, a top class record for any striker.
• There is only one player with more French top-flight goals than Falcao and that’s Edinson Cavani. The PSG forward has 15 goals so far and this season looks destined to be his most prolific one.

HEAD TO HEAD

In the last few years, the league meetings between these two financial heavyweights have been relatively equal but Monaco take the slight edge. In terms of league fixtures, Monaco have won two of the last four while PSG have won just one. However, the last three games in other competitions have seen three PSG wins, two of which by more than 2.5 goals. The last league meeting ended 1-1 as a Cavani penalty was cancelled out by a 92^nd-minute Bernardo Silva equaliser.

MONACO NEWS

A win for Monaco would close the gap to just three points and would put them in a great position but a loss would see them slip nine points behind PSG. They have a couple of first-team injury worries as Thomas Lemar and Djibril Sidibe will both miss the top of the table clash.

Latest matches: AS Monaco

21.11.2017	UEFA	AS Monaco	RB Leipzig	1:4	L
17.11.2017	Ligu	SC Amiens	AS Monaco	1:1	D
04.11.2017	Ligu	AS Monaco	EA Guingamp	6:0	W
01.11.2017	UEFA	Besiktas JK	AS Monaco	1:1	D
28.10.2017	Ligu	FC Girondins Bordeaux	AS Monaco	0:2	W

PSG NEWS

Three points for PSG would give them plenty of breathing space but a loss could start a disastrous run, as per what happened last season. They go into the match almost injury-free with Thiago Motta the only absence, a player who rarely features nowadays anyway.

Latest matches: Paris St Germain

22.11.2017	UEFA	Paris St Germain	Celtic FC	7:1	W
18.11.2017	Ligu	Paris St Germain	FC Nantes	4:1	W
04.11.2017	Ligu	SCO Angers	Paris St Germain	0:5	W
31.10.2017	UEFA	Paris St Germain	RSC Anderlecht	5:0	W
27.10.2017	Ligu	Paris St Germain	OGC Nice	3:0	W

SUMMARY

There won’t be any harder to predict games across Europe this weekend than this one as it could easily go either way. PSG have the stronger side and better form which makes them very slight favourites but Monaco have home advantage and a very decent track record against the Parisians. I would expect both teams to start with a safe approach but one early goal could see the floodgates open as both sides love to get forward at every opportunity. It should be a cracker.