Kylian Mbappe Scores 4 as Neymar, PSG Thrash Lyon 5-0

Neymar helped Paris Saint-Germain to a 5-0 win over Lyon at the Parc des Princes in Ligue 1 on Sunday. The Brazil international scored from the penalty spot and assisted two of Kylian Mbappe's four goals as PSG set a record with a ninth-straight win to begin a season in the French top flight.  

Both sides were reduced to 10 men during the first half, with PSG defender Presnel Kimpembe dismissed after the referee consulted VAR following a challenge on Tanguy Ndombele.

Lucas Tousart wasted Lyon's man advantage when he was shown a yellow card for bringing down Mbappe.

Neymar Is Destined to Be Mbappe's Supporting Act

PSG paid a world-record fee for Neymar to be the star of the team. Those plans look to be changing, though, because as good as he is, Neymar appears destined to be Mbappe's supporting act.

The latter is the PSG player everybody will be talking about as time goes on. His latest goal glut only underscores his outrageous talent:

Mbappe was tormenting the Lyon's defence even before he found the net. The perception evident in his runs belies the 19-year-old's tender years:

Of course, Mbappe needs the help of others to thrive. It's where Neymar comes in, with the 26-year-old's vision and flair crucial in making the most of Mbappe's pace and appetite for goal.

The combination is great for PSG, but it may not be such good news for Neymar in the long run. He found himself overshadowed by Lionel Messi in Barcelona, and he may soon experience a similar feeling playing alongside Mbappe.

Deeper Role Won't Help Neymar in the Long Run

Neymar's numbers are still something to behold, particularly after he stroked PSG into a ninth-minute lead from the penalty spot:

What those numbers hide is how Neymar can struggle to influence a match when playing as a No. 10. Operating in a role that gives him license to drop deep more often didn't bring out Neymar's best against Lyon.

There wasn't much energy in the way he covered ground between the midfield and forward lines:

Neymar's frustration was obvious when he picked up a yellow card for a late and nasty challenge on Jeremy Morel seven minutes before the break.

He had been struggling to get on the ball enough in a midfield crowded out by Ndombeleand Tousart. It was only after Kimpembe was sent off Neymar began to look more like himself.

Centre-forward Edinson Cavani was substituted for defender Thilo Kehrer following Kimpembe's dismissal. It meant Neymar was pushed forward alongside Mbappe as a traditional striker playing on the left of the two.

The positive effect of the change was obvious barely two minutes after the restart when Neymar combined brilliantly with Mbappe, slipping in a pass for the teenager to test Lyon goalkeeper Anthony Lopes.

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His assist for Mbappe just after the hour mark underlined the upturn in Neymar's game since he'd moved higher up the pitch. So did the slide-rule pass to release his striker partner to complete a hat-trick in under 10 minutes.

Neymar recently spoke about how much he's enjoying playing as a No. 10 under manager Thomas Tuchel, per Goal's Russell Greaves: "It's different. I like to play there. I can dictate the match, help my team-mates. [Lionel] Messi plays like that at Barcelona. My function was different there. Here, I like to have the ball. I'm very happy to play like that."

He may enjoy playing deeper, but Neymar is a better player the closer he's deployed to the front. Tuchel's main task will be to get the best out of the world's most expensive player, so he should keep it simple and keep him operating as a striker.

Marquinhos Midfield Experiment Has to End

He registered an assist for Mbappe's second goal, but Marquinhos again looked out of his depth in midfield. Tuchel's decision to make the Brazil international defender a deep-lying playmaker is never going to work.

There's nothing wrong with Marquinhos' technique. The problem is a lack of confidence trusting his ability on the ball further up the pitch.

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Instincts still honed in a defensive way of thinking also mean Marquinhos often misses quick and obvious forward passes. As a result, he can be guilty of slowing down PSG's approach play.

While his willingness to play out of position is commendable, Marquinhos' presence in midfield only draws more attention to the surprising lack of options for the position at Tuchel's disposal.

What's Next?

Lyon will host Nimes when the league program resumes on Friday, October 19 following the international break. PSG are in action a day later at home to Amiens.