Six weeks into the new season and it’s surprisingly tight at the top of the Ligue 1 table. Thanks in part to new signing Alexis Sanchez, Marseille are keeping pace with champions Paris Saint-Germain as they won their fourth game in a row.
However, the Parisiens are still in top spot on goal difference after another comfortable win led by Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi.
Elsewhere, Lyon continued their resurgence with another big win, while Nice – who added yet another former Premier League star – stumbled yet again as they remained perilously close to the relegation zone.
Read on as SBOTOP brings you the latest news and updates on Ligue 1.
Alexis Sanchez scores again in Marseille win
Marseille’s fine start to the season continued as they defeated Auxerre 2-0 to pick up their fourth win in a row.
Gerson – who got the start with captain Dimitri Payet out injured – gave OM the early lead after just seven minutes. Veteran striker Alexis Sanchez then came on as a substitute and scored his third goal of the season six minutes from time to seal the win.
The victory kept Marseille level with champions PSG on 16 points (five wins, one draw). Igor Tudor’s side also have the best defensive record thus far with just three goals conceded in their first six games.
Marseille will begin their Champions League campaign this midweek as they take on Tottenham Hotspur.
PSG remain top thanks to Mbappe brace
Paris Saint-Germain swept aside Nantes 3-0 as they kept their place atop Ligue 1 on goal difference.
With Neymar rested, Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi provided more Ligue 1 2022 highlights for the champions. Mbappe bagged a brace, while Messi assisted both of Mbappe’s goals. Nuno Mendes added the third for PSG.
Mbappe, who banged in a hat-trick a few weeks ago, has now scored six goals this season, a goal behind Neymar in the Ligue 1 scoring charts. Meanwhile, Messi has five assists, also one behind his Brazilian team-mate.
The win was a perfect warm-up for PSG’s opening Champions League group game against Juventus this midweek.
Mauro Icardi not included in PSG’s Champions League squad
Speaking of the Champions League, PSG have left out striker Mauro Icardi from their Champions League squad.
Instead, Christophe Galtier named Spanish veteran Pablo Sarabia and new signing Hugo Ekitike as his other two forwards behind the star trio of Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, and Neymar.
The 29-year-old Icardi, who is yet to feature in a single Ligue 1 match this season, is clearly not part of Galtier’s plans and is free to leave the French champions.
While the summer transfer window is already closed for most of Europe, Icardi still has a few days to seal a potential move to Turkish giants Galatasaray, with whom he has been linked.
In-form Lyon fire five past Angers
Lyon recorded the biggest win of the Ligue 1 weekend as they hammered Angers 5-0 at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais.
Karl Toko Ekambi scored a brace, while veteran striker Alexandre Lacazette also got on the scoresheet for the third time this season.
Lyon, who finished a disappointing eighth last season, are now up to fourth in the Ligue 1 standings, three points back of PSG and Marseille. And Les Gones can draw level with the top two if they can beat Lorient this midweek.
The Ligue 1 2022 betting odds have Lyon favoured to win that match, which was originally scheduled for Matchday 2 but was postponed due to poor pitch conditions.
Struggling Nice sign Ross Barkley on a free
Nice have added yet another former Premier League star to their squad as they signed former Everton and Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley on a free transfer.
Barkley is the fourth Premier League veteran Nice have signed this summer, joining veteran goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, midfielder Aaron Ramsey, and winger Nicolas Pepe, who is on loan from Arsenal.
The 28-year-old Barkley had spent the last five seasons with Chelsea, where he made 58 Premier League appearances and scored five goals. He left by mutual consent in late August.Barkley will look to add a spark to a Nice side that has had a rough start to the season under new coach Lucien Favre. They are in 16th after just five points from their first six games. They fell 1-0 to Monaco over the weekend, their third defeat in their last four games.
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