Anyone weighing up the best Angers vs PSG prediction will probably arrive at the same basic view: Angers need a near-perfect defensive display to keep this competitive, while PSG just need to hit their usual level to take control.

Angers are 13th on 34 points after 30 matches and arrive in a poor run. Their latest six listed results include draws with Le Havre and Lyon, but also defeats to Rennes, Lens, Nice and Nantes. The bigger problem is their attacking output. They score only 0.87 goals per game on average, which leaves very little room for error.

PSG sit top of the table on 63 points and their broader league numbers are exactly what you would expect from a side in that position. They score between 2.10 and 2.30 goals per match, concede under one per game, dominate possession at around 62%, and keep clean sheets roughly 40% of the time.

The head-to-head line is heavily one-sided too. PSG have dominated recent meetings and have gone 21 games unbeaten against Angers, which is a pretty strong warning sign for the hosts.

PSG have had this fixture firmly under control for a long time. They have won four of the last five listed meetings and are unbeaten against Angers in the last 21 clashes overall.

What is interesting is that some of the most recent scorelines have not been massive. The last two both ended 1-0 to PSG, so dominance has not always meant a complete blowout.

1) Angers will probably have to sit deep and try to make this frustrating because they do not have the attacking numbers to trade punches with PSG.

2) PSG’s 62% average possession suggests they should control the rhythm, territory and most of the ball from start to finish.

3) If Angers concede first, it becomes very hard to see how they turn the match around given how few goals they score on average.

Angers: poor run, limited wins, and too many matches where they have struggled to do enough in the final third.

PSG: strong league form overall, even if there have been the odd bumps in Europe. The league numbers still mark them out as the clear best side in this matchup.

Angers at home: they can make matches scrappy, but they have not shown enough consistent goal threat to feel dangerous against elite opposition.

PSG away: more than capable of controlling away games through possession and superior quality, especially against lower-table sides.

Angers may keep the game respectable for a while if they defend compactly, but the overall gap between these teams is pretty obvious. PSG score far more, concede far less, and have a long record of finding a way past this opponent.

The biggest call is probably whether PSG run away with it or just manage it professionally. Given the recent head-to-head scorelines, the controlled version feels a bit more likely.

Prediction: Angers 0-2 PSG