PSG tackle Toulouse with Ligue 1 summit at stake

Paris Saint-Germain’s shaky start under Unai Emery continued as they were reduced to 10 men in a 2-0 Ligue 1 defeat to in-form Toulouse on Friday.

Paris Saint-Germain have lost their second match of the season – as many as they lost in the whole of the previous campaign.

Mario Balotelli’s Nice travel to promoted Nancy on Sunday after Monaco, once again missing Radamel Falcao who suffered concussion in the 4-0 loss at Nice midweek, host Angers on Saturday.

“The match changed with the (first) goal and the sending-off”.

Given the quality of their expensively assembled side, you would expect the French champions to eventually break down the opposition and score a top drawer goal to open the scoring.

“The victory is a progression, although today I saw a lot of things to improve on”, said Emery.

For the third time in a row Emery left marquee summer signing Hatem Ben Arfa out of his squad for what the coach had called a “purely sporting decision”, but the fleet-footed playmaker was not missed in a comfortable evening’s work at the Parc des Princes for the reigning champions.

Substitute Jimmy Durmaz then doubled the home side’s lead, pouncing on a poor pass from Thiago Motta to coolly slot the ball into the back of the net with 11 minutes to play.

A young Toulouse side featured 19-year-old Clement Michelin starting a Ligue 1 game for the first time and 18-year-old loan striker Odsonne Edouard lining up against his parent club.

“These are young players and they have above average technical ability, but they find it hard to let themselves go”, said Toulouse coach Pascal Dupraz, who led his team to a miraculous escape from relegation at the end of last season.