Injury-hit PSG run into

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

PARIS: Paris Saint-germain fans were no doubt brimming with confidence about facing Manchester United when the Champions League draw was made nearly two months ago.

Neymar, Edinson Cavani and Kylian Mbappe were scoring with ease, Marco Verratti was pulling the strings in midfield, a nd t he c l ub had s e c ured impressive back-to-back wins against Liverpool and Red Star Belgrade to qualify for the last 16 at Napoli’s expense.

United were struggling under then-coach Jose Mourinho, and creative players like Paul Pogba were not suited to his gritty and tactically stifling approach. Now the tables have turned, and injury-hit PSG’S trip to Old Trafford has taken on a daunting d i mens i o n . Uni t e d are unbeaten since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took charge and Pogba, so unhappy under Mourinho, can’t stop smiling. Or scoring.

CONTRASTING LUCK Already missing Neymar because of a right foot injury, Cavani, PSG’S all-time leading scorer, damaged a tendon in his right hip in the 1-0 win against Bordeaux, and goal-scoring right-back Thomas Meunier sustained a mild concussion. These injuries follow on from midfielder Marco Verratti’s sprained ankle three weeks ago.

Facing a pumped-up United lineup at Old Trafford would have been difficult enough with everyone fit, but PSG coach Thomas Tuchel has problems in every position except goalkeeper. There, at least, he has the reassuring presence of Gianluigi Buffon .

But Tuchel is missing two of his best three forwards, and he isn’t even sure if Verratti will be ready for a game of such intensity having played only 58 minutes on his return from injury.

QUESTIONABLE CHOICES The problems in midfield, for example, could have been resolved far earlier by bringing Adrien Rabiot back into the side.

But Tuchel has been told that Rabiot — who is in a disagreement with sporting director Antero Henrique — is not to be selected because of a contract wrangle that has dragged on .

With Neymar and Cavani out it means that Mbappe, the French league’s 17-goal top scorer, is cer- a

is in stark contrast to

Mourinho's conservative approach that left host of expensively assembled stars paralysed by fear of making mistakes. is trying to replicate the same aggressive, attacking approach ingrained in him by his old boss Sir Alex Ferguson, who twice won the Champions League in charge at Old Trafford.

Solskjaer has built his side around Paul Pogba (left) to produce stunning results. The Frenchman has scored eight goals and provided five assists in his past 10 games. I was in the shadows, on the bench, and I accepted that," said Pogba. "It is a pleasure to play again. Now I am always smiling."

that Marcus Rashford was rested at Fulham to keep him fresh for PSG, while Romelu Lukaku was handed a rare start says a lot for the change in his fortunes under Solskjaer. was never trusted with a consistent run of games as a central striker under Mourinho. But under Solskjaer,

Rashford has scored six goals in eight starts since the change in management. tain to start at center forward.

While United’s shaky defence will f ear f acing another of France’s World Cup stars , they may be less worried about his strike partner. If Tuchel goes with a 4-4-2 formation that is likely going to include the ineffec-

PSG:

tive Eric-maxim Choupo-moting who has scored only once in 12 league matches.

Tuchel could use Julian Draxler in a 4-5-1, with the German operating as a playmaker behind Mbappe. But Draxler’s versatility suits Tuchel elsewhere and he