Paris Saint-Germain will host English giants Manchester United at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday as the UEFA Champions League group stage begins, report agencies.
In three previous encounters between the two sides, the record is fairly even. Paris Saint-Germain have won two games and lost once.
The two clubs last met each other in 2019, in a famous Champions League round of 16 tie. Manchester United beat Paris Saint-Germain 3-1. This win ensured that Manchester United drew 3-3 against Paris Saint-Germain across the two legs, and qualified for the next round due to the away goals rule.
Edinson Cavani's swift return to the Parcs des Princes could be the headline team news for this match, with Man United's deadline-day arrival in contention to make his debut against his former club.
Manchester United forward Edinson Cavani (L) and midfielder Paul Pogba having a laugh during team’s training session at Aon Training Complex in Manchester on Monday. Photo: Collected
The 33-year-old scored a club-record 200 goals for PSG from 2013 to his departure this summer, including 30 in the Champions League - another unrivalled tally amongst PSG players.
The Uruguayan has not featured in a competitive match since March and has only recently been allowed to take part in United training, so Solskjaer is unlikely to throw him straight in from the start. That is particularly true given that Anthony Martial is available again after sitting out at the weekend due to suspension - he is expected to lead the line with Rashford and Bruno Fernandes in support, the latter of whom will be making his Champions League debut for United.
Mason Greenwood is a major doubt, however, having been left out of the squad to face Newcastle due to an unspecified fitness issue.
Paul Pogba will be hopeful of a recall to the starting XI after being dropped at the weekend, adding another subplot to the story given the speculation that PSG are interested in the Frenchman.
There could also be a debut for another deadline-day arrival in Alex Telles, while Solskjaer may consider handing Dean Henderson the gloves in the Champions League in order to keep him happy with more first-team football
Whether it is Henderson or David de Gea between the sticks, they could be in for a busy night with Mbappe and Neymar both set to start for PSG.
PSG are some way off full strength elsewhere, though, with Tuchel claiming that he may only have 11 fit players for United's visit.
Mauro Icardi, Juan Bernat and Thilo Kehrer will all miss the match through injury, while Marquinhos, Marco Verratti, Julian Draxler and Danilo Pereira are major doubts after sitting out at the weekend.
There was better news with Colin Dagba's coronavirus test proving to be a false positive, while Layvin Kurzawa and former United winger Angel Di Maria, who assisted more goals than anyone else in last season's Champions League, are available after sitting out on Friday through a domestic suspension.
