PLAYER RATINGS | PSG 4-1 Monaco: Kvaratskhelia opens account for Parisians and Dembélé scores double | OneFootball

With Paris Saint-Germain’s lead at the top of Ligue 1 verging on unassailable, what would usually have been a high-stakes clash between two of France’s major players may well have been a Champions League warm-up for both sides.

Both sides nevertheless approached the match positively, with Paris Saint-Germain drawing first blood after five minutes through a Vitinha free-kick. Just minutes before, the Portuguese midfielder had been one of three players, alongside Luis Enrique, to have seen their contract extensions announced with a pre-match ceremony on the Parc des Princes pitch.

The visitors would equalise ten minutes later, with Denis Zakaria beating Gianluigi Donnarumma at his near post after a piercing through ball from Magassa. There would be several more chances for the Principality outfit to take the lead: Minamino saw the ball swiped from his feet by Willian Pacho just as he found himself one-on-one with Gianluigi Donnarumma, while a better-weighted ball across goal from the Japanese international would have handed Mika Biereth an open-goal finish.

PSG would eventually start to convert their dominance in possession after half-time, as Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored his first goal since moving to the French capital after a deft feint to beat Majecki. Ousmane Dembélé would continue his dizzying scoring streak (hitting the 20-goal mark for the campaign) by beating the Pole with an emphatic near-post shot.

There was little sign of a Monégasque comeback in the closing half-hour of the game, with neither Breel Embolo nor substitute Eliesse Ben Seghir able to assert any impact on proceedings up front.  PSG were definitively out of reach through Dembélé’s second, with the French forward converting from close range after Nuno Mendes had carved out the opportunity on the left flank.

With the latest in a string of convincing and authoritative displays, PSG take a commanding 13-point lead in the table and attack their trip to Brest brimming with confidence. Far from taking their foot off the gas ahead of their European commitments, Luis Enrique’s men would turn in a performance that has stamped out the minuscule suspense still remaining in the Ligue 1 title race. An unbeaten season is increasingly coming into view.

Selected PSG player ratings

Gianluigi Donnarumma, 5

Willian Pacho, 7 – The Ecuadorian’s risky but excellently-timed challenge to swipe the ball away from Minamino, who was bearing down on Donnarumma, saved the hosts from going behind before the half-hour mark.

Vitinha, 6 – Celebrated his contract extension by swinging in a free-kick after just five minutes of play.

Fabián Ruiz, 4

Désiré Doué, 5

Ousmane Dembélé, 8 – The French international was again at his incisive best, although after consecutive hat-tricks in his last two outings, he “only” found the twice once tonight.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, 7 – After starting his time in Ligue 1 with a couple of promising albeit inconclusive performances, the Georgian delivered a display worthy of his price tag.

Selected Monaco player ratings

Radosław Majecki, 3

Denis Zakaria, 6

Soungoutou Magassa, 5

Takumi Minamino, 3 – The Japanese international was presented with several chances to be decisive in the Paris Saint-Germain box, but fluffed his lines on every occasion.

Maghnes Akliouche, 6 – The 22-year-old was the catalyst for Monaco’s most promising chances.

Breel Embolo, 4

Mika Biereth, 4

GFFN | Raphaël Jucobin  – reporting from the Parc des Princes