Ligue 1 round 9

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

Bad news for both Lyon and Sochaux ahead of their game this week. Sochaux's American striker Curtis Davies was badly injured in a fatal car accident during the international break. Suffice to say his season is over. Lyon have concerns over summer recruit Bafetimbi Gomis who collapsed during training with the French side. That's the third time it's happened this season and questions are quite rightly being asked. With memories of Marc-Vivien Foé, even David Longhurst, still all too fresh in the memory, this can't be taken lightly and the French football authorities have been good on such matters lately, hence Lilian Thuram's abortive move to PSG last season. Lyon will be short-priced favourites for this one, but the game will seem of little significance given Davies's travails.

Bordeaux have Yoann Gourcuff back, spelling trouble for Auxerre. Also back is Marouane Chamakh who spent most of the international break once again spelling out how he really, really, really wants to play in England. For the love of whatever you deem holy, shut up man! Changer le disque. This material is getting old. Montpellier remain in third place and are at home to St Etienne. All evidence points to a home win, but Les Verts arrive on the south coast with three straight wins. Marseille go to Nancy looking to find a bit of form. Didier Deschamps bemoaned a lack of confidence in his ranks and Hatem Ben Arfa hasn't helped the harmony in the camp by missing training and copping a fine.

Grenoble are on the road seeking their first points of the campaign as they go to Valenciennes. The Alpine club haven't been playing that badly for the last few weeks and signs are that a win - or a point if we're going to walk before running - won't be too far away. Lens have slipped back after a decent start and go to Monaco who are going pretty well. The two big underachievers face off this week as PSG travel to Toulouse. It looked like André-Pierre Gignac was having a bout of second-season syndrome, but goals for France in the week will have helped his confidence. Lille's revival continues at home to Rennes, struggling Nice have a long trip to Lorient and Le Mans have a visit from rapidly fading Boulogne.