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France: PSG face up to Lille test [Tue Sep 20th, 2005]
Paris St Germain will be under pressure to overcome Sunday's heavy defeat to St Etienne as they aim to get their Ligue 1 challenge back on track against last season's runners-up Lille.
Coach Laurent Fournier's side have made an otherwise steady start to the campaign prior to the 3-0 reversal, fully aware that they are expected to qualify for Europe after a disappointing 2004-05 season.
Before the result at the Stade Geoffrey Guichard, PSG had won four games and drawn one - a record that has hoisted them to fourth in the table after seven games.
Like St Etienne though, Lille will provide a difficult test and perhaps a better indication of how the Parisians will fare this year. Les Dogues have lost just once this season and handed out a 4-0 thrashing to Nice at the weekend.
Meanwhile, Nice play host to early season surprise package Le Mans. Coach Daniel Jeandupeux's men are second in the standings and warmed up for the clash with a 2-1 win over Sochaux, with leaders and four-time champions Lyon the only side to beat them this season. Le Mans can go top of the league on goal difference - for 24 hours at least - if they win on the Cote d'Azur.
Marseille will hope to put their poor start behind them after beating Troyes for only their second win of the season when the Mediterranean giants travel to Toulouse.
Monaco, left without a coach after the departure of Didier Deschamps, will head for Troyes aiming to reverse their dismal fortunes. Deschamps quit the club after his side lost 2-0 at home to Rennes on Sunday.
In other games Rennes take on Bordeaux, Strasbourg travel to Ajaccio and Metz host Auxerre. Elsewhere, Sochaux play Nantes at the Auguste Bonal stadium while Nancy travel to St Etienne.
Lyon host Lens at the Stade Gerland on Thursday.
PA Sport
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