Monaco vs. Paris Saint-Germain: Winners and Losers from Ligue 1 Game
Paris Saint-Germain made it four straight wins at the start of the Ligue 1 season with a comfortable 3-0 triumph away at Monaco.
After a scoreless first half at Stade Louis II in the principality, PSG broke the deadlock when Edinson Cavani headed home Blaise Matuidi's left-wing cross.
The Uruguay striker doubled both his and PSG's tally when he converted a wonderful through ball from Zlatan Ibrahimovic, while Angel Di Maria set up fellow substitute Ezequiel Lavezzi to complete the scoring.
The result means the reigning champions already sit three points clear at the top of the table, with Monaco languishing down in 13th after registering just one victory so far.
While players from both teams now prepare to go away on international duty, Bleacher Report breaks down the winners and losers from Sunday's match.
Winner: Edinson Cavani
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Edinson Cavani got off the mark for the season with a well-taken brace in the second half.
The former Napoli striker opened his account with a firm header planted beyond Monaco goalkeeper Danijel Subasic, then made the most of Zlatan Ibrahimovic's sublime pass to make it 2-0.
While Cavani had endured a sluggish start to the campaign by drawing a blank the previous three matches, OptaJean revealed on Twitter that he has now scored 12 goals in his last 11 Ligue 1 outings.
He has been linked with a move to Arsenal, with John Cross of the Mirror revealing Gunners manager Arsene Wenger was on "red alert" over a deal. However, judging by his performance on Sunday night, PSG will surely be loathed to let the forward leave.
Loser: Monaco
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Obviously, Monaco were the losers in terms of the outcome. However, it is not necessarily the result, but rather the manner of the defeat that is concerning for the home team.
Les Monegasques were second-best against the side that finished 12 points clear of them last season. According to Squawka Football, "Thiago Motta and Marco Verratti completed more passes tonight combined (246) than the entire Monaco side (237)."
The drubbing at the hands of PSG rounded out a miserable week for Leonardo Jardim's side—they also failed to make it through the final qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League.
The international break comes at a good time for Monaco, although they may resume their Ligue 1 campaign without Anthony Martial. Simon Jones of the Mail reported that Manchester United are interested in the striker.
Winner: Angel Di Maria
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Talk about making an immediate impact—debutant Angel Di Maria made two key passes and set up a goal during his 25-minute cameo for PSG, according to WhoScored.com on Twitter.
The signing from Manchester United nearly set up a goal within seconds of his introduction from the bench, putting over a delightful cross that Edinson Cavani couldn't convert.
The Argentine did, however, play the killer pass that allowed compatriot Ezequiel Lavezzi to round out the scoring. You can take a look at the assist for yourself via L'Actu Foot.
On a day when his last club ended up losing 2-1 away to Swansea in the Premier League, Di Maria gave an early example of the impact he can have with his new employers.
Loser: Lucas Moura
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To be clear, Lucas Moura did not have a poor game for PSG.
The Brazilian was busy in the first half, testing Monaco goalkeeper Danijel Subasic with a low shot. He also dragged another attempt at goal wide.
However, he must be concerned at the impact his replacement, Angel Di Maria, had on proceedings during his brief time on the pitch.
Back in June, prior to Di Maria's arrival, Bleacher's Jonathan Johnson wrote, "Depending on the moves made by Laurent Blanc and the PSG hierarchy this summer, the Brazilian might have to start the season on the bench when all of Les Parisiens’ star names are fully fit."
He has been a starter so far, though he will know that he has to perform at a high standard to retain his place in the XI.
Winner: Blaise Matuidi
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Edinson Cavani and Angel Di Maria might make the headlines, but Blaise Matuidi's performance doesn't deserve to go unnoticed.
The midfielder had scored in his team's previous two league wins, against Ajaccio and Montpellier, but against Monaco he showed his ability to create goals, too.
His cross from the left was perfectly weighted for Cavani, allowing the forward to head home the opening goal.
Matuidi's performance certainly caught the eye of George D. Metellus, who tweeted, "I know Ibra (Ibrahimovic) fans might not like this but I am more & more convinced that Blaise Matuidi is PSG's most important player."
Loser: The Rest of Ligue 1
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The French season may be only four games old, but Paris Saint-Germain already find themselves sitting pretty at the summit.
They have been in ominous form so far—manager Laurent Blanc has seen his star-studded side score seven goals, while they are also yet to concede.
What should be particularly worrying for their rivals is PSG's strength in depth. They paid £44.3 million for Angel Di Maria, who found himself part of a ridiculously strong bench for the game at Monaco.
Meanwhile, left-back Layvin Kurzawa was not even part of the squad to face his old club, having only joined on Thursday. PSG now have options that their French opponents can only dream of.
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