Beckham doesn't start but Mutu helps PSG out anyway

4Feb 2013

Two goals from Ajaccio forward Adrian Mutu shocked title challengers Lyon and left Paris Saint-Germain, buoyed by the arrival of David Beckham, three points clear, writes Ben Lyttleton.

Call it the David Beckham effect. Within three days of signing English football's former captain, and now global icon, Paris St Germain put in their best performance of the season, a 4-0 away win at Toulouse, announced a £105m sponsorship deal with Fly Emirates and then, perhaps more significantly, saw Lyon and Marseille, their closest title challengers, both lose to sides in the bottom six.

PSG have extended their lead at the top to three points from Lyon, who slipped 3-1 at Ajaccio, and six from Marseille, who lost 1-0 at Nancy, Ligue 1's bottom side at the start of the weekend. PSG are now 1.26 with Lyon 6.8 and Marseille 16.0 to win Ligue 1.

Lyon felt hard done by following their defeat, after Alexandre Lacazette had a first half effort wrongly disallowed for offside; the same player put Lyon ahead but Chakhir Belghazouani equalised and then it became the Adrian Mutu show.

The Romanian snaked in between Samuel Umtiti and Dejan Lovren (later sent off) to head his side into a lead - it was his sixth goal of the season - and then, after Bafe Gomis had seen his penalty saved by Guillermo Ochoa, scored from the spot himself in injury-time to clinch the win. A fortnight ago, Mutu had tried a Panenka- style spot-kick in a 1-1 draw at Valenciennes, but saw it saved. "I was scared to try it again, so I just concentrated on what I wanted to do," said the player once nicknamed 'Brilliantul' in his homeland.

Mutu was dropped by national team coach Victor Piturca from Romania's squad for this week's friendly against Australia, and Ajaccio president Alain Orsoni was forced to deny reports that he is unpopular with team-mates for receiving special treatment from the club saying: "Overall, it's going very well, we are pleased with him, but whatever he does, it is exaggerated in the press."

The same could be said of Marseille's Englishman, Joey Barton who was shown a red card as Marseille slipped to a shock defeat at home to Nancy. Barton had welcomed Beckham as the second best-looking player in France; the good news is that Barton will only serve a one-match ban, and will be available to face PSG later this month, in what could be Beckham's first PSG game.

But how will Beckham fit into this PSG side? That was the question after their 4-0 demolition of Toulouse, in which new signing Lucas Moura was particularly impressive. The Brazilian winger, signed for €40m in January, set up two goals and could be a star in PSG's efforts in the Champions League. They face Valencia at the Mestalla next week - they are 3.25 to win on the night, and 1.58 to reach the next round - and sports director Leonardo has said Beckham will be with the squad, even if he won't be playing by then.

"I don't expect to come into this team and be a starter," Beckham said after signing last week.

"I'll work hard to make this team successful. I don't expect to start the first game but I can help the young players and help the team." Beckham's experience and leadership ability, something that PSG have lacked in the Ancelotti era, could help the French club to their first title since 1994. And they might even be dark horses in the Champions League as well.