Ligue 1 preview: PSG, Marseille look to keep form rolling

27 September 2012 15:11

Ligue 1 heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain host Sochaux on Saturday as leaders Marseille look to continue their unblemished start to the season.

PSG have scored eight and conceded just one goal in three consecutive wins in the league after starting the season slowly with three draws.

Since then, the capital club have certainly found their groove.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is already paying back his hefty transfer fee, scoring at a phenomenal rate with seven league goals in five games.

The Swede's double in PSG's 4-0 rout of Bastia on Saturday followed another he scored in the side's Champions League opener against Dynamo Kiev four days earlier.

The Paris outfit strolled ominously to a 4-1 win over the Ukrainian club with Carlo Ancelotti's side finally appearing to have hit full stride.

Sochaux forward Cedric Bakambu scored his first brace in Ligue 1 against Troyes in a 3-1 win last Saturday and will headline the attack for the visitors at the Parc de Princes, while one of PSG's other big signings, Ezequiel Lavezzi, is likely to miss with a thigh injury.

Top side Marseille continue to lead the way and can break a 42-year record set by Monaco if they win a seventh straight game to start the season, away to Valenciennes on Saturday.

Following the departure of Didier Deschamps who, conversely, guided the team to six straight losses to start last season and a 10th-place finish, new manager Elie Baup has endeared himself to the fans.

Marseille are still six points clear of third-placed PSG and four ahead of Lyon, who host Bordeaux on Sunday.

On Friday, Lille are away to Rennes having won only once in six games this season.

On Saturday, Ajaccio welcome Brest, Nancy host champions Montpellier, who are well down in 16th place, bottom-placed Troyes do battle with Toulouse, Evian entertain Lorient and Nice are at home to Bastia.

On Sunday, Saint-Etienne welcome Reims, who are undefeated in four games.