Paris Saint-Germain's quest for a third Ligue 1 title in succession continues on Tuesday evening when they host struggling Metz at the Parc des Princes.
Laurent Blanc's men will go top of the standings ahead of Lyon if they pick up at least a point against their relegation-threatened opponents.
Paris Saint-Germain
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Having been knocked out of the Champions League by Barcelona last week, Blanc and PSG can fully focus on retaining their league crown with five matches of the campaign remaining.
PSG are level on points with league leaders Lyon, but this clash with Metz is the game in hand that they have over their title rivals.
Blanc's men have been in strong domestic form of late, winning their last four games. The PSG boss will be encouraged by the fact that his side are scoring freely, with their 6-1 thrashing of Lille last time out evidence of this.
The win over Lille preserved their unbeaten home record this season. PSG have been formidable at the Parc des Princes so far, winning 12 of their 16 matches and being held to draws in just four, leaving them as the only side not to have lost on home soil in Ligue 1.
An unlikely defeat against Metz will not spell the end of PSG's title hopes by any means, but it would leave Lyon in pole position with four games left to play.
Recent form: WLWWWW
Recent form (all competitions): WWLWLW
Metz
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Metz have given their hopes of surviving in Ligue 1 a real boost in recent weeks thanks to a big improvement in form.
Les Grenats won promotion from Ligue 2 last term after six years out of the top flight, and they seem determined to avoid an immediate return to the second tier.
Albert Cartier's side extended their unbeaten run to four matches as they drew 1-1 at Bordeaux on Saturday. They were eight minutes away from recording a victory over their sixth-placed opponents, thanks to Ferjani Sassi's strike, but Wahbi Khazri's equaliser meant that Metz had to settle for a point.
Metz are eight points adrift of 17th-placed Reims, although they have a game in hand on all of their relegation rivals.
If they can pull off a shock victory over PSG, it will give them even more confidence that they are capable of avoiding the drop. However, having won just once on the road all season, it could be a long night ahead of them in the French capital.
Recent form: LLDWWD
Team News
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PSG will still be without top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic as he serves the final match of his three-game suspension for an outburst at a referee following the team's defeat to Bordeaux last month.
Midfielder Marco Verratti also serves the second of his two-match suspension. Serge Aurier will miss out, while first-choice goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu is struggling to recover from the injury that forced him off against Lille, so Nicolas Douchez is expected to deputise.
Blanc, meanwhile, has said that captain Thiago Silva is likely to feature after sitting out the game at the weekend with a hamstring injury.
Cartier has no fresh injury concerns and could select the same side that drew at Bordeaux last time out. Kwame N'Sor remains sidelined with a hamstring injury, while Sylvain Marchal is out with a knee problem.
Former Chelsea winger Florent Malouda is expected to lead the visitors' frontline alongside Modibo Maiga, who is on a season-long loan from West Ham United.
Paris Saint-Germain possible starting lineup:
Douchez; Van der Wiel, Marquinhos, Silva, Digne; Motta, Verratti, Pastore; Lucas, Lavezzi, Cavani
Metz possible starting lineup:
Mfa; Metanire, Milan, Palomino, Lejeune; Sarr, Sassi, Kashi, Ngbakoto; Malouda, Maiga
Head To Head
PSG have been the dominant side in this fixture down the years from 33 meetings, with 19 victories to Metz's three, and 11 draws.
Metz have not won at the Parc des Princes on their last 10 visits. Their last success at the venue was a 3-2 victory in March 1996.
PSG needed a late goal from Ezequiel Lavezzi when the teams met in the return fixture in October, with the Argentine's 83rd-minute strike clinching a 3-2 victory after Metz had fought back from two goals down.
We say: Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 Metz
Paris Saint-Germain have been in fine form and Metz, despite their improved showings of late, will find it tough to contain a side that have scored 17 goals in their last five outings.
Blanc's men have the opportunity to establish a three-point lead at the top of the table with a victory and they will be going all out to ensure that they do not let that chance slip.
Steven Toplis
