Paris Saint-Germain went back on top of the Ligue 1 table on Saturday as a 4-2 victory at home to Strasbourg saw them climb above Monaco on goal difference.
Youngster Senny Mayulu’s first Ligue 1 goal set PSG on their way before Marco Asensio, Bradley Barcola and Lee Kang-in also found the net in the rain at the Parc des Princes.
Sekou Mara and Pape Diong were on target for Liam Rosenior’s Strasbourg, but the defeat means the side from Alsace have still never won away to PSG in 34 attempts.
Monaco’s 0-0 draw at home to Lille on Friday had given PSG the opportunity to go back to the summit and they seized the chance despite coach Luis Enrique rotating his squad with an eye on Tuesday’s Champions League clash with PSV Eindhoven.
“I think it is the same for all coaches who lose players during international breaks,” said Luis Enrique, whose team also go to Marseille next weekend in French football’s biggest fixture.
“The first game back is always especially complicated but we fulfilled our objectives, which were to get three points against very difficult opponents, and to conserve players so they could recover from games with their national teams and their journeys.”
Ousmane Dembele, Achraf Hakimi, Fabian Ruiz and captain Marquinhos were among the players left on the bench with Mayulu one of five players aged 20 or under in PSG’s starting XI.
The 18-year-old hit the post before he opened the scoring on 18 minutes after a one-two with Barcola, and Mayulu then missed a great chance to add another before half-time, blazing over when clean through.
“Senny is a player who last year could have left but chose to stay. He is a player with lots of quality and has the ability to score goals,” said Luis Enrique.
“Today he scored one but could have scored three. He is one for the future of the club.”
Asensio bundled in PSG’s second goal just after the restart, following in to score after Desire Doue’s shot had been saved, but Mara pulled one back with his first goal since joining Strasbourg from Southampton.
– ‘Lost in the right way’ –
PSG had a penalty awarded for a foul on Barcola overturned by the referee following a VAR review, but France winger Barcola then prodded in his team’s third goal, and a seventh of the season for the division’s top scorer.
A Saidou Sow own goal that would have made it 4-1 was disallowed for offside but South Korean star Lee swept in a Joao Neves assist for PSG’s fourth late on, before Diong made the final score 4-2 from close range.
It was just a second defeat so far this season for Strasbourg, who are owned by the same BlueCo consortium which controls Chelsea.
“I feel we lost in the right way, if there is such a thing,” said Englishman Rosenior, who said the defeat was entirely down to the quality of the opposition.
“It was 100 percent the quality of Paris, one of the best teams in Europe,” insisted the Englishman.
“I think Paris are building something very special here and I am very proud of my players for playing in a style that I don’t think anyone has tried.
“You have to be prepared to lose big in order to win big.”
Earlier, Brest warmed up for their Champions League clash with Bayer Leverkusen by drawing 1-1 with Rennes in a Brittany derby, while Lens won 2-0 at Saint-Etienne to maintain their unbeaten record this season.
Marseille go to Montpellier on Sunday, when other matches include Lyon at Le Havre and high-flying Reims at Auxerre.
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