PSG Immediately Return to Action: Le Havre Opposition Preview

There is no rest for the wicked as PSG immediately return back to action on Friday night away to Le Havre, just four days after the important three points against Lyon that saw the Parisians return back to the top of the Ligue 1 table for the first time this season. 

So, what can we expect from the hosts in this one? 

It has been an incredibly difficult start to the season for Le Havre, who sit rock bottom of the table with just two points from their eight games so far, and are the only team in the entire league yet to pick up a win, with just two draws and six defeats to show so far. 

Since returning to the French top flight for the first time in 14 years, and for just the second time in 21 years, Le Havre have narrowly avoided relegation each time since coming up, finishing 15th, 15th and 14th in their three seasons back up, finishing three points above the relegation play off twice, and by just one singular point on the other occasion. 

However, it looks like this season is going to be the one where they do go back down, perhaps a bit later than most people had expected, unless they put a very good run of form together soon, and there is no greater motivation to start a good run than playing against five time defending Champions PSG, so we know they will be extremely motivated for this one in particular. 

In terms of dangermen, striker Josh Maja has found the back of the net three times in Ligue 1 so far this season, two of which came last time out against Marseille, though it was not enough to prevent a 4-3 defeat. His three strikes have come in just 429 minutes of football, scoring at a rate of a goal every 143 minutes. Pretty impressive all things considered. 

Former Aston Villa striker Ally Samatta has scored twice so far, and offers a physical presence up front. Eight goals in eight games is not terrible for a side rock bottom of the league - it more than 9th placed Lorient and just three fewer than Lille and AS Monaco, who sit in third and fourth place respectively. 

It is the other end of the pitch that is hurting them, with 15 goals conceded in eight games. Although that again could be worse for a team bottom of the league, they have given up 30 big chances in those eight games - an average of nearly four a game, so PSG should have little issue creating chances.