PARIS, Sept 29, 2023 (BSS/AFP) - Much of the attention so far this season in

France has been on crises at Lyon and Marseille, but fine starts for Nice and
an unheralded Brest have set up an unlikely top-of-the-table clash this
weekend.

Brest begin a round of top-flight matches in first place for just the fifth
time in their modest history as they lead the way by a point from Nice before
making the long trip from the tip of Brittany to the Cote d'Azur.

Come kick-off they may well have been replaced at the summit by reigning
champions Paris Saint-Germain, who visit winless bottom club Clermont a day
earlier.

Also on Saturday, Monaco entertain Marseille, with the principality side and
PSG both two points adrift of Brest.

Yet the Brittany club's run so far has been remarkable, with four wins and a
solitary defeat in Marseille.

Last week they beat Lyon 1-0 thanks to a late goal from Steve Mounie, taking
them to 13 points from six outings.

That is as many points as they had after 17 games last season, when they
appointed Eric Roy as coach.

The one-time Sunderland midfielder, who was born in Nice and coached his
hometown team a decade ago, revived their fortunes to keep them up and has
built on that this season.

That is despite losing winger Franck Honorat to Borussia Moenchengladbach for
a reported nine million euros ($9.5m) and not being able to reinvest all of
that money on new faces.

"We have picked up where we left off last season. The team has not changed
much and I think that is a strength," captain Brendan Chardonnet told RMC
radio.

"We are having a super start this season. Maybe we can get into the top half,
or higher, but our main aim is survival."

Nice's ambitions are more lofty, given the investment in recent years by
owners Ineos, the group chaired by British petrochemicals billionaire Jim
Ratcliffe.

Yet spending was still limited during the summer, when Nice responded to a
disappointing mid-table finish last season by naming little-known Italian
Francesco Farioli as coach.

Farioli, only 34, was never a player but had previously worked under Roberto
de Zerbi before managing in Turkey.

His Nice team started tentatively with three straight draws but have followed
that with three consecutive wins, helped by their two biggest signings this
year.

Nigerian striker Terem Moffi terrorised PSG in a shock 3-2 win in Paris, in
which he scored twice, before Ivory Coast winger Jeremie Boga's late winner
last week against Monaco.

"It is just the start of the season, so we need to be careful," striker
Gaetan Laborde told L'Equipe TV this week.

"We are working hard with Francesco Farioli. The team is behind him and
things are going well.

"Our aim has not changed. We want to be back in Europe."

One to watch: Gennaro Gattuso

The Italian takes charge of Marseille for the first time when they go to
Monaco. Gattuso, 45, was appointed on Wednesday, a week after Marcelino
resigned as coach of the former Champions League winners.

Gattuso takes over a team reeling after a 4-0 defeat away to PSG and the
former AC Milan midfielder is the second member of Italy's 2006 World Cup-
winning team to be appointed coach at a leading French club in just over a
week. He was linked with the vacant post at Lyon only for his compatriot
Fabio Grosso to get the nod instead.

Key stats

8 - Marseille will be looking to end a run of eight away matches without
winning when they face Monaco.

44 - Lyon's tally of two points is their joint lowest after six matches of a
top-flight season, equalling that of the 1979/80 season, 44 years ago.

5 - Rennes are unbeaten this season but have drawn their last five Ligue 1
games.

Fixtures (times GMT)

Friday

Strasbourg v Lens (1900)

Saturday

Clermont v Paris Saint-Germain (1500), Monaco v Marseille (1900)

Sunday

Reims v Lyon (1100), Le Havre v Lille, Nice v Brest, Toulouse v Metz (all
1300), Lorient v Montpellier (1505), Rennes v Nantes (1845)