Ligue 1 is finally back after a three-week international break, and Matchweek 6 runs from October 9 to 11 with a table few would have drawn up in August.
Monaco are top with 13 points from five games, while Lyon and Paris FC are both unbeaten on 11. Paris Saint-Germain are only sixth, and Marseille are 17th after losing four in a row.
The round opens with Lens vs Lyon on Friday at 2:45 p.m. ET. Lyon have three wins and two draws, the best defence in the league with two goals conceded, and a 4-0 win over Rennes behind them, Ernest Nuamah scoring twice. On the road they have a 2-0 win at Toulouse and a 0-0 draw at Paris FC, so no goals conceded away.
Lens are 15th with four points. Their only win was the opening-day 5-2 against Auxerre, they have lost three of the four games since, and new coach Yannick Cahuzac started with a 2-1 defeat at Monaco. Abdallah Sima and Maik Nawrocki are both out. Lyon have won just two of the last 10 meetings between the clubs in all competitions, and centre-back Moussa Niakhate hurt a hamstring on international duty.
Paris FC have been the story of the first five rounds: third place, no defeats, three clean sheets and only three goals against. Their results include a 3-2 win at Marseille and a 0-0 draw with Lyon. Lorient are 12th, lost 2-1 at Le Mans last time and have not won either home game, going down 2-1 to Troyes and drawing 2-2 with Toulouse.
Since beating Strasbourg 4-0 on opening night, Marseille have lost 2-0 at Monaco, 3-2 to Paris FC, 1-0 at Rennes and 2-1 to PSG. They have three points, sit 17th and have yet to score an away goal. Troyes have problems of their own, with three straight defeats and a 6-2 home loss to Strasbourg, and they are 16th. But they drew 0-0 at home with Paris FC and won at Lorient.
Monaco have won four of five, including 2-1 at PSG, and have lost only one of their last nine league games at Stade Louis II. Paris Brunner has four league goals, joint-most in the division. Toulouse are 13th and conceded nine times in five games; they have gone 12 league matches without a clean sheet. Their one win, 3-2 over Le Havre, came last time out with Casper Tengstedt scoring twice. Injury doubts over Aleksandr Golovin and Denis Zakaria are a concern.
Le Havre have two points and four goals from five games. Lille lost 2-1 at Nice last time and Le Havre took a point at Lyon in August. Brest have lost their last two, 1-0 to PSG and 2-1 at Auxerre, and are 11th. Angers are four places higher, have two clean sheets in a row and are unbeaten in two away games this season. Brest have not lost any of their last six home meetings with Angers.
Nice have three goals all season. Strasbourg have scored 10 and let in 10, and their away results are a 4-0 defeat at Marseille, a 6-2 win at Troyes and a 2-1 defeat at Paris FC. Rennes are fifth with 10 points despite a 4-0 loss at Lyon that left them with a negative goal difference. Auxerre have won two straight at home but conceded eight in two away games.
Five teams could finish the weekend top of Ligue 1. Current leaders AS Monaco host Toulouse and will look to hold on to top spot. Lyon travel to Lens this Friday, Paris FC visit Lorient on Saturday, while Lille host Le Havre and Rennes welcome Auxerre on Sunday. After losing his first match at Monaco 2-1, Yannick Cahuzac will experience Bollaert as head coach for the very first time. A huge game for RC Lens against an in-form Lyon side, with Lens at risk of dropping into the relegation zone if they slip up.
