All you need to know about PSG v United

The French domestic Treble-winners made it all the way to the final last year, before being beaten by Bayern Munich and, with Neymar and Kylian Mbappe leading the line, are a formidable prospect.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side come into the game after our best team performance of the season so far, at Newcastle on Saturday, and this is, of course, scene of one of our most famous European nights.

Without further ado, here is our big preview of the Group H opening clash…

ESSENTIAL INFO

Kick-off in Paris takes place at 20:00 BST and fans in the UK can watch the match live on BT Sport. Supporters can also follow our rolling updates on ManUtd.com and within our Official App, while MUTV will provide live build-up, radio commentary and reaction from 18:55 BST. We’ll then show a rerun of the match in full, from midnight on Wednesday.

FORM GUIDE

Thomas Tuchel’s men suffered a hangover from their August European exploits, with the Parisians back in Ligue 1 action just 18 days after their Champions League final defeat. Several first-team players were given an extended rest, with others forced to isolate as per COVID-19 protocols, and the French champions therefore surprisingly lost their opening two games 1-0, to Lens and fierce rivals Marseille – with Neymar sent off in the latter. Since then, normal service has been resumed, with PSG seeing off Metz, Nice, Reims, Angers and Nimes by an aggregate score of 16-1 to move up to second, two points behind early pacesetters Lille.

TEAM NEWS

Tuchel is due to face the media alongside former Red Ander Herrera on Monday afternoon and will likely give a further update on the fitness of his squad then. Forward Mauro Icardi has already been ruled out by his manager, while Marquinhos, Thilo Kehrer (both groin) Marco Verratti (quadriceps) and Julian Draxler (hamstring) all missed Friday’s 4-0 win over Nimes through injury. On-loan Porto midfielder Danilo Pereira was kept away from the rest of the squad as per COVID-19 precautions after returning from international duty, but trained on Sunday. From a United point of view, Anthony Martial is available to play as his suspension is only being served domestically, while new signings Edinson Cavani, Alex Telles and Facundo Pellistri are all in the UEFA A list squad and could be in line to make their debuts.

ONES TO WATCH

Of course, Neymar and Mbappe are renowned as two of Europe’s premier attacking players and the pair have netted over 150 goals between them in all competitions since joining the Parisians in the summer of 2017. The former missed out on both of our previous clashes with PSG due to injury, but Mbappe scored against United at Old Trafford and was the primary dangerman in that famous second leg, hitting a post in the second half with the score at 2-1. The France World Cup-winner has played four times this season, scoring four goals, while his Brazilian team-mate has two in three either side of his suspension.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS

Do you really need reminding of this one? OK, if you insist… After the French side had secured a comprehensive 2-0 win at Old Trafford in the first leg of our 2018/19 Champions League round-of-16 clash, the Reds travelled to the French capital short of a number of key players, including the suspended Paul Pogba and injured Anthony Martial, and needing to score at least twice. What transpired over the next 90 (plus seven or eight) minutes at the Parc des Princes has since gone down into Reds legend. Romelu Lukaku netted a brace either side of Juan Bernat’s goal, but Solskjaer’s side were heading out when, in injury-time, Diogo Dalot’s speculative effort struck Presnel Kimpembe’s arm. VAR intervened, awarding the Reds a penalty and – with pure ice running through his veins – Marcus Rashford stepped up to spark scenes of pink-shirted delirium.

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Antonio Mateu Lahoz (ESP)
Assistants: Pau Cebrian Devís and Roberto del Palomar (ESP)
Fourth Official: Javier Estrada Fernandez (ESP)
VAR: Juan Martinez Munuera (ESP)
Assistant VAR: Guilllermo Cuadra Fernandez (ESP)

RIVALS WATCH

TUESDAY 20 OCTOBER

GROUP E

Chelsea v Sevilla
Rennes v FK Krasnodar

GROUP F

Zenit St Petersburg v Club Brugge (17:55 BST)
Lazio v Borussia Dortmund

GROUP G

Dynamo Kiev v Juventus (17:55 BST)
Barcelona v Ferencvaros

GROUP H

Paris Saint Germain v UNITED
RB Leipzig v Istanbul Basaksehir

WEDNESDAY 21 OCTOBER

GROUP A

RB Salzburg v Lokomotiv Moscow (17:55 BST)
Bayern Munich v Atletico Madrid

GROUP B

Real Madrid v Shakhtar Donetsk (17:55 BST)
Internazionale v Borussia Monchengladbach

GROUP C

Manchester City v FC Porto
Olympiacos v Marseille

GROUP D

Ajax v Liverpool
FC Midtjylland v Atalanta

All kick-offs 20:00 BST unless stated.

Our 2020/21 home, away and third kits are available to buy now from United Direct.