Ligue 1 Preview: Paris Saint-Germain v Marseille

Laurent Blanc can heap misery on former club Marseille by guiding Paris Saint-Germain to a first league double in Le Classique since 2003.

Blanc’s side head into Sunday’s clash with their fierce rivals in blistering form, having lost just one of their 12 games since the end of the mid-season break.

The former France coach earned the nickname Le President during his two-year spell with Marseille between 1997 and 1999 , but perhaps became a pariah in the eyes of the Provencal club’s fans by taking over at the Parc des Princes in June last year.

And his reputation among the Marseille faithful could only have fallen further when 10-man PSG came from behind to win 2-1 at the Stade Velodrome in October, a result that marked the capital club’s first triumph in Marseille since 2008.

Marseille will be eager to avenge that loss, but face a stern challenge against a team that they have not beaten in the last six meetings between the two.

The defending champions could go into the game under pressure should Monaco reduce PSG’s lead at the summit of Ligue 1 to two points with a win at Saint-Etienne on Saturday.

A victory for PSG’s closest title challengers will only increase the tension surrounding what is always a heated affair, but the hosts are likely to be full of confidence given recent performances.

Indeed, PSG have failed to score in just one game all season and in Zlatan Ibrahimovic they possess arguably the form striker in world football.

Ibrahimovic has 37 goals this campaign, with six of those coming in the last three games.

The Swede dismantled Toulouse with a hat-trick in a 4-2 win last Sunday, however, Marseille also approach France’s biggest fixture in strong form.

Hopes of a place in the UEFA Champions League looked slim when Elie Baup was sacked in early December, but Marseille have slowly turned things around under former sporting director, who moved downstairs to take over as interim coach after Baup’s dismissal.

Marseille are unbeaten in five league games, with the likes of Andre-Pierre Gignac, Florian Thauvin, Dimitri Payet and Mathieu Valbuena beginning to fire on all cylinders to bring the 10-time champions within three points of third-placed Lille.

The visitors will be boosted by the return of midfielder Jacques-Alaixys Romao, who is set to return from suspension and give Anigo a fully-fit squad to choose from.

Meanwhile, PSG striker Edinson Cavani’s participation is still in doubt because of a thigh problem, and Christophe Jallet (back) remains on the sidelines.