Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe all found the target as Paris Saint-Germain secured a thumping 5-1 victory over Lorient on Sunday.

Paris Saint-Germain returned to winning ways in an exquisite manner, overpowering Lorient 5-1 at the Parc des Princes this weekend. The three points should help them further solidify their position at the top of the Ligue 1 table and move them one step closer to reclaiming the league title.

As the scoreline suggests, it was a dominant performance from the Parisian juggernaut, with the offensive trifecta of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar working in tandem to make life difficult for the opposition defence.

PSG drew first blood in the 12th minute, thanks to an excellent finish from Neymar. It was soon followed by a strike from Mbappe in the 28th minute, with the two goals giving PSG a comfortable lead at half-time.

Lorient, though, were gifted a goal back around the 56th minute when Achraf Hakimi’s backpass found Terem Moffi, who made no mistake in beating Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal. The visitors’ hopes of a potential comeback dwindled soon following a wonder strike from Mbappe in the 67th minute.

It was followed by an equally impressive goal from Lionel Messi before Neymar eventually pinned the final nail in the coffin with a late 90th-minute strike. And here, at the Hard Tackle, we will run the rule over the PSG players in their comprehensive victory over Lorient this weekend.

Gianluigi Donnarumma: 6/10

Gianluigi Donnarumma looked a bit shaky in between the sticks, with one of his punches almost leading to a Lorient striker. He was also unfortunate to have missed out on the clean sheet, no thanks to Hakimi’s sloppy backpass. The Italian’s unconvincing run of form continues.

Achraf Hakimi: 7/10

Achraf Hakimi deserves credit for creating multiple turnovers in the final third and offering width going forward. He even registered the assist for Mbappe’s second goal. At the same time, the right-back’s sloppy backpass allowed Moffi to pull one back for Lorient, even though it only turned out to be a consolation.

Marquinhos: 6/10

Marquinhos took a massive risk that almost resulted in a goal for Lorient. But the PSG captain made up for his error with an outstanding block to save Donnarumma’s blushes in the second half. It was not the most clinical display from the Brazilian, but one which helped his team get over the line.

Presnel Kimpembe: 6.5/10

Presnel Kimpembe managed to avoid any real defensive errors. He was quite solid at the heart of the PSG backline, offering good support to Marquinhos as they kept Lorient quiet for the most part of the game.

Nuno Mendes: 7/10

Nuno Mendes wasn’t as impressive as Hakimi going forward. But the youngster made good attacking forays into the final third and linked up superbly with Neymar on the far side. His contributions played a key role in helping PSG maintain pressure on the opposition defence.

Danilo Pereira: 7/10

Danilo Pereira deserves a lot of credit for making those key turnovers that enabled the PSG front three to work in tandem and cause problems for the opposition. He was effective in the second line of press while making minimal errors in possession.

Leandro Paredes: 6.5/10

Leandro Paredes was handed a start ahead of Gini Wijnaldum. But his night was cut short due to an injury that forced him off just before the first half. The midfielder had played well until then, rotating possession and creating turnovers in the second line of press.

Idrissa Gueye: 6/10

Idrissa Gueye was not as influential as his teammates in attack or midfield. He lacked the desired impact or creativity in the middle third of the park, though the former Evertonian did not hesitate in producing useful forward balls whenever it was required.

Lionel Messi: 8/10

Lionel Messi produced a wonderful display of skill and craft. He operated in a more central role than usual, which helped him link up better with the likes of Neymar and Mbappe. The Argentine was involved heavily in the build-up to the first goal,  along with most of PSG’s goals on the night. Even though he didn’t bag a single assist, he did score his third goal in Ligue 1 by producing a neat finish in the second half.

Kylian Mbappe: 10/10

Kylian Mbappe was the undisputed man of the match in this convincing win for PSG. The Frenchman was in a league of his own, beating players at will and linking up brilliantly with Messi and Neymar. He was spot on with his dribbles and shooting, along with his decision making as well, capping off a majestic attacking display with two goals and three assists.

Neymar: 9.5/10

Neymar was the second most impressive attacker for PSG on the night, which isn’t a bad indicator given the way Mbappe was performing. The Brazilian was very active down the left hand channel and was always on hand to release his teammates in behind the defence. He was rewarded for his efforts with a brace while being deeply involved in PSG’s other goals on the night.

SUBSTITUTES

Georginio Wijnaldum: 5/10

Wijnaldum replaced the injured Paredes just before the first half. But just like any other game, the Dutchman failed to make the desired impact and lacked any sort of creativity in his game.

Sergio Ramos: 6/10

Sergio Ramos made his much-awaited return by replacing Marquinhos during the final phase of the game. Kept things neat and tidy and will be roaring to start a game for PSG in the coming weekend.

Thilo Kehrer: N/A

A late replacement for Danilo. Did not play enough to warrant a rating.

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