Paris St-Germain welcome Lyon to the Parc des Princes on Sunday as Ligue 1’s eighth round concludes, with both sides on 14 points and separated only by goal difference.
Lyon moved top after beating Nice 2-1 last week, while defending champions PSG climbed to second by defeating Strasbourg 3-1. The match comes during a turbulent week in France, where demonstrations and violent clashes have led to curfews in both Paris and Lyon.
Luis Enrique’s side have won seven matches in a row in all competitions and are closing in on the top of Ligue 1, while also leading the league phase of the Champions League. Their recent run includes 4-2 victories over Manchester City and Barcelona.
The victory against Barcelona came at a cost, however, with several key PSG players injured. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is expected to miss the rest of the season with a cruciate ligament injury, while Ousmane Dembele and Marquinhos face several weeks out with thigh problems.
Nuno Mendes remains unavailable as he recovers from a muscular issue, and Alessandro Longoni is doubtful after taking a knock.
Despite those absences, PSG have scored 14 goals in their three Champions League matches this season, the joint-highest total over that period in the competition alongside Arsenal in 2010-11. They have also scored 14 times in Ligue 1, the second-highest total in the top flight after seven games, with half of those goals coming from set-pieces.
Since losing 2-1 at home to Monaco in early September, PSG have won their last three competitive matches at the Parc des Princes by an aggregate score of 13-3.
Desire Doue has scored in each of his last three competitive appearances. He, Dembele and Illia Zabarnyi were on target against Strasbourg, while Lucas Hernandez, Vitinha and Fabian Ruiz scored in the win over Barcelona, along with Doue.
Lyon’s strong start to the league campaign was reinforced by a composed display against Nice, when Pavel Sulc and Tanner Tessmann scored within minutes of each other to overturn Elye Wahi’s opener.
Paulo Fonseca’s team have recovered four points from losing positions in Ligue 1 this season, all at home. However, they go into Sunday’s match after a first Europa League defeat, a 3-0 loss at Hoffenheim on Thursday.
Lyon have conceded six goals in the Europa League league phase, one more than they have allowed in Ligue 1 after seven rounds. They have kept clean sheets in two of their three away league matches and can avoid consecutive away defeats in Ligue 1 for the first time since February-March last season.
The Gones are also seeking successive league wins away to PSG for the first time this century. Mohamed Ouedraogo and Nicolas Tagliafico are doubts after knee problems kept them out against Hoffenheim, while new signing Keito Nakamura is suspended following his red card against Nice.
Probable teams
PSG: Safonov; Zaire-Emery, Zabarnyi, Beraldo, Digne; Fernandez, Vitinha, Ruiz; Akliouche, Torres, Doue.
Lyon: Descamps; Athekame, Mata, Niakhate, Abner; Morton, Tessmann; Nuamah, Nartey, Tolisso; Sulc.
PSG Ligue 1 form: NDVVVV PSG all competitions: VVVVVV Lyon Ligue 1 form: NVNVDV Lyon all competitions: VVDVVD