Ligue 1 round-up: Arsenal target tops the best-rated performers in gameweek 5

After flirting with relegation last season, Lille are flying high after five games in Ligue 1. Les Dogues have 10 points to their name, a return bettered only by PSG, who top the pile with 15 points. Star of the show for Lille thus far has been Nicolas Pepe, who has previously been linked with a move to Arsenal. The Ivorian was once again in fine form this week as he earned a WhoScored rating of 9.69, better than any other player in gameweek five. 

The highly-rated 23-year-old bagged a hat-trick in Lille’s entertaining 3-2 win at Amiens, which means Pepe has had a direct hand in seven goals in five starts this season. It’s no wonder teams are casting a watchful glance towards the Stage Pierre-Mauroy. Additionally, Pepe made three key passes and completed two dribbles to secure the man of the match award. 

Pepe’s performance in the 3-2 win at Amiens meant Florian Thauvin missed out on a place in the Ligue 1 team of the week. With the duo both starting on the right wing, the former secured his place in the XI despite a man of the match showing from Thauvin. The France international bagged a brace in Marseille’s 4-0 win over Guingamp on Sunday night, a match best remembered for Dimitri Payet’s stunning second half volley. 

Nevertheless, with Thauvin netting twice from four shots and chipping in with returns of three key passes and three successful dribbles, the 25-year-old was the second highest rated Ligue 1 player from gameweek five having earned a WhoScored rating of 9.45 from Sunday’s resounding win. Rounding off the top three performers is PSG attacker Julian Draxler, who impressed on his first league start of the season. 

Without Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, PSG could have struggled against Saint-Etienne in Friday night’s match, but they made light work of their Ligue 1 rivals, romping to a 4-0 win. Draxler set the defending champions on their way to all three points, netting the opening goal with one of four shots from the German on the night, while returns of three key passes, one successful dribble and six aerial duels won saw him come away with a WhoScored rating of 8.97. 

It was a Saint-Etienne played who gained the lowest WhoScored rating of week, with Brazilian Gabriel Silva footing the pile in Ligue 1. The 27-year-old gained a WhoScored rating of just 4.91 in the loss, with Silva committing an error that led to Angel Di Maria’s goal at the Parc Des Princes. He failed to make a tackle or interception in the heavy loss and when he did get forward, he struggled, with Silva failing to pick out a teammate with any of his three attempted crosses.