Preview: Le Havre AC - Paris Saint-Germain

THE TABLE

Paris Saint-Germain's spectacular 5-2 victory over AS Monaco at the Parc des Princes in Round 13 marked their sixth consecutive win in Ligue 1. It is the second-best win streak in Europe's Top 5 leagues after Bayer Leverkusen's eight Bundesliga wins on the bounce. Paris now boast 30 points from 13 league games, one length ahead of second-placed Nice.

For their part, Le Havre AC are one of the surprises of the Ligue 1 season. With a total of 16 points from 13 games, they are in eighth place in the league standings. What's more, Les Ciel et Marine are unbeaten in their last five Ligue 1 matches, having conceded just one goal in the process. Le Havre held AS Monaco (0-0) and FC Nantes (0-0) to goalless draws after winning 2-1 in Toulouse FC.

A LOOK BACK AT THE LAST MATCH

The last time the two sides met in an official match was at the Parc des Princes on 19 April 2009, for Round 32 of the 2008-09 season. The Parisians were the more enterprising side, with Ludovic Giuly opening the scoring in the first half. The former Paris striker latched on to a ball deflected by Guillaume Hoarau and fired a left-footed cross past Christophe Revault (1-0, 41').

Les Rouge et Bleu doubled their lead just before the hour-mark when Hoarau provided a second assist, this time for Jérôme Rothen, who sent a powerful left-foot shot in at the near post (2-0, 55'). In the dying moments of the game, Hoarau popped up to nod home Rothen's cross and cap a remarkable performance with a goal (3-0, 90'). Paris Saint-Germain ran out 3-0 winners and pushed Le Havre a little further down the table.

 OPPOSITION STRENGTHS

Luka Elsner and his team play two main systems: 5-4-1 and 4-4-1-1. Arthur Desmas is the undisputed starter in goal. With six clean sheets in 13 league games, the French goalkeeper is one of the key players in Le Havre's fine start to the season, with an 80% save rate. In front of him, the young Étienne Youté Kinkoué has been racking up the starts in the centre of defence and should once again be in the starting line-up this Sunday.

Alongside Kinkoué, Gautier Lloris is indispensable to HAC's defence. The former Nice man is the Le Havre player who has blocked the most opposition passes so far this season (28). Above all, he has made no fewer than 63 clearances, the second-highest total in the league. Finally, captain Arouna Sangante is also set to start. Despite his tender age, the 21-year-old Senegalese defender is one of Le Havre's key players. He mainly plays on the right side of a three-man central defence, but he can also put his versatility to good use at right-back.

With a slightly more attacking profile, Loïc Nego should be the preferred option for HAC's coach to fill the right-sided role in a five-man defence. The Hungarian international could be joined by Josué Casimir, back from suspension, on the opposite flank. Capable of playing anywhere along the left flank, the young Guadeloupean is Le Havre's assists leader in Ligue 1 this season (3). All of which puts him one step ahead of his Ivorian team-mate Christopher Operi, who has a slightly more defensive profile.

In midfield, the Abdoulaye Touré-Daler Kuzyaev tandem is one of the key components of the system put in place by Elsner. The former has a primarily defensive role, and is the Le Havre player with the most tackles so far this season (17). But the Guinea international is also the side's best top-flight ball winner (82), proof of his importance in midfield. As for Daler Kuzyaev, the Russian international is his team's most technical player, through whom most of their attacking moves are generated.

As evidenced by the number of touches has had in attacking areas (187), the former Zenit St Petersburg player is more forward-thinking than his Guinean team-mate. And if there is one player who benefits from the qualities of the Russian midfielder, it is Nabil Alioui. Capable of playing anywhere across the attacking line, the HAC winger is the player with the most dribbles in the Le Havre squad (14). With four league goals to his name, he is also the player who has found the net the most times.

On the wings, young Frenchman Antoine Joujou (20) could also start, as he seems to be preferred to American international Emmanuel Sabbi. Les Ciel et Marine's latest recruit, André Ayew, will not be taking part, as the former Marseille man is suspended for this match. Mohamed Bayo, on the other hand, is back from his own ban and should start up front for Le Havre. The player on loan from LOSC has been in fine form recently, scoring two goals in his last two appearances.

KEY DUEL: KYLIAN MBAPPÉ - NABIL ALIOUI

They will each be trying to get their team a win. On Sunday, left wingers Kylian Mbappé and Nabil Alioui will be locked in a decisive long-range duel at the Stade Océane. Faced with a defensively solid side, the capital club's top scorer will be looking to bag his 15th Ligue 1 goal of the season. It's a challenge the French international must be looking forward to, given that HAC are the only top-flight team other than Paris against whom he has yet to score in an official match. But also because Paris Saint-Germain have scored at least three goals in each of their last six Ligue 1 matches. And if the Parisians are to continue this run against the ironclad defence of Le Havre, it will depend on Kylian Mbappé's being in top form.

As for Nabil Alioui, Les Ciel et Marine's attacking leader will have the onerous task of causing havoc in the Les Rouge et Bleu defence. The former Cercle Bruges player will be looking to create imbalance in the Parisian rearguard, either through his movement or his impact on the ball. Above all, the Le Havre striker will be on the lookout to exploit any attacking moves his team make and try to surprise the capital club. An AS Monaco youth academy alumnus alongside Kylian Mbappé, Nabil Alioui will undoubtedly be a danger that the Parisian defence will need to control if it is to succeed.