Neymar Jr: a leader emerges

The stats are simply breathtaking... Parus remain unbeaten at the half-way point of the season with 15 wins and two draws (two matches, against Montpellier and Dijon, were postponed) for 47 points, 50 goals scored and a new European record for consecutive wins to start a season: 14, erasing Tottenham's high-water mark from 1960-61.

Expectations were high for Neymar Jr after his first season in France was cut short by a serious injury that sidelined him for three months. The Brazilian made his comeback in Shenzhen, China, as Paris Saint-Germain trumped AS Monaco 4-0 in the Trophée des Champions. Coming on for Verratti, Ney had 15 minutes of gamer time - enough for him to re-accustom himself to competition before the league campaign kicked off.

Auspiciously, it was Neymar who scored Paris Saint-Germain's first league goal of the season, against Caen. It only took ten minutes for the Parisian number 10 to mark his return with a goal and show that he was already in form. He back it up with a goal in Guingamp, another against Angers at the Parc des Princes and another away to Nîmes to make it four from the first four matches of the season.

It was a brilliant start to the season from the Brazilian, who also steeped very much u pot the plate in the big matches. He scored in Nice and in Monaco and distinguished himself against Lyon and Lille - the big league clashes - scoring each time. In the 12 Ligue 1 Conforama appearances he made in the first six months of the season, Neymar scored 11 goals and laid on five more for his teammates. He is now just two goals behind Ligue 1 Conforama top scorer and Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Kylian Mbappé. On 2 December, Neymar became the fastest player win the last 45 years to rack up 30 career Ligue 1 Conforama goals - he did it in just 32 matches!

He has also shone brightly in the Champions League. After a dramatic late loss to Liverpool on Matchday 1, Paris Saint-Germain bounced back in style with a 6-1 thumping of Red Star Belgrade Ibn which the Brazilian bagged a hat-trick. On 18 November, Ney was once again among the goals, helping Les Rouge et Bleu to a crucial win over Liverpool at the Parc. It was a massive performance from the Brazilian, who wowed fans and critics alike, notably Jérôme Rothen: "You get the feeling that Neymar is on a mission. I think he is very happy in Paris and that he really wants to help Paris Saint-Germain to win. He has shown that he wants to help his side take things to the next level, with his commitment and his desire to come back from injury as quickly as possible and play against Liverpool after picking up an injury on national team duty."

In the final group-stage match, he was decisive once again, scoring his sides second goal in the 4-1 over Red Star that saw Paris Saint-Germain finish on top of their group.

Little by little as the season has ticked over, Neymar Jr has seemed more and more comfortable. A fact that is doubtless due to Thomas Tuchel's having repositioned him as a playmaker in a great show of faith. The tactical scheme suits the Brazilian's game to a tee, as he confirmed when speaking to us: "I think that, for every player at this level, having this kind of freedom is a very good thing. Because at any moment you can spark an attack that can make the difference. That's why I'm so happy to have this freedom, but I know what I have to do to earn it. I have to be capable of making the difference so my team can win."

Bring on the second half of the season!