Ligue 1 round 3

Monaco v Lorient
Auxerre v Lyon
Montpellier v Sochaux
Valenciennes v PSG
St Etienne v Boulogne
Le Mans v Nancy
Rennes v Marseille
Bordeaux v Nice
Grenoble v Lens
Lille v Toulouse

The only reason Nancy have made the British papers lately is for cancelling their pre-season tour of Britain due to fears about swine flu. That late change of pre-season plans doesn't seem to have bothered them much as they look to maintain a surprise 100% start to the season. With no real stars - Youssouf Hadji is about as close as it gets - they've scored seven goals in beating Monaco and Valenciennes and there's no reason why they can't go to Le Mans and come away with another win. The other two sides with perfect records, Bordeaux and Marseille, also look good to continue their runs. Bordeaux are at home to Nice and Marseille go north to Rennes. No problems foreseen on the horizon for either. Even the ongoing Marouane Chamakh saga won't derail Bordeaux. West Ham are the latest club sniffing about, but the Moroccan looks set to stay, for this season at least.

Auxerre host Lyon in what ought to be an intriguing clash. Lyon won big in Europe midweek, 5-1 at home to Anderlecht in the Champions League with new signings Bafetimbi Gomis, Lisandro Lopez and Michel Bastos on target. Auxerre just haven't got going yet. Their small squad can easily become stretched, particularly if the talismanic Ireneusz Jelen is out, which he has been so far this season. Lille and Toulouse both won away from home in Europa League midweek action and face each other this weekend. Lille won in Belgium while Toulouse were in Turkey where it was that man again André-Pierre Gignac with a brace. His bustling, almost old-skool British centre forward style is difficult to deal with, particularly if you're not the biggest side which Lille aren't.

Antoine Kombouare has an early trip back to Valenciennes with his new charges PSG and his old side are missing his influence. St Etienne have strengthened their forward line by bringing in Boubacar Sanogo from Werder Bremen so Gomis's goals may finally have been replaced and a visit from Boulogne shouldn't hold too many fears for Les Verts. Inconsistent Monaco welcome Lorient to the Louis II, Montpellier and Sochaux face off on the south coast and Lens make the long trip from northern mining country to the Alps and Grenoble.