Ligue 1 table: PSG lead after round 9 as Lille, Lyon and Paris FC close in

Nine rounds into the Ligue 1 season, Paris Saint-Germain are top again – but not by much. The champions lead on 20 points, and only four points separate them from fifth place. Lille sit two points back, with Lyon and newly ambitious Paris FC a further point behind and Rennes on 16. Round 10 brings a direct meeting between two of those sides.

The table after round 9

Pos	Team	Played	W-D-L	Goal difference	Points
1	Paris Saint-Germain	9	6-2-1	+11	20
2	Lille	9	5-3-1	+6	18
3	Lyon	9	5-2-2	+8	17
4	Paris FC	9	5-2-2	+6	17
5	Rennes	9	5-1-3	+1	16
6	Marseille	9	5-0-4	+7	15
7	Monaco	9	4-3-2	+2	15
18	Le Havre	9	0-2-7	-11	2

The top three qualify directly for the Champions League, fourth goes into the qualifiers. Live standings: Ligue 1 table.

PSG: the leaders have found their rhythm

PSG were not flawless early on, but the round-9 trip to Le Havre showed how dangerous they are in this mood. Achraf Hakimi scored a hat-trick from right-back in a 5-1 win, with Mika Godts and Senny Mayulu also on target after Josh Maja had given the hosts the lead. Goal's form table now shows five straight league wins for Luis Enrique's side. With a goal difference of +11, PSG are also clearly the most efficient team in the division.

The chasers: Lille, Lyon and Paris FC

Lille needed patience against Lens. The Derby du Nord was goalless until the 86th minute, when substitute Olivier Giroud swept in the winner. It ended a four-game winless run in all competitions for Davide Ancelotti's team and, according to Flashscore, was Lille's fifth home win in a row against their neighbours. Only one league defeat so far – the joint fewest with PSG.

Lyon handled Angers calmly: Ernest Nuamah opened the scoring before half-time and Corentin Tolisso settled the 2-0 late on. Their goal difference of +8 is the second best in the league.

Paris FC are the story of the autumn. Liam Rosenior's team beat Monaco 3-1 at the Stade Jean-Bouin, with Lassine Sinayoko scoring twice before the break and Pablo Pagis adding a third after Folarin Balogun had pulled one back. Sinayoko, signed from Auxerre in the summer, had already scored a hat-trick in a 3-2 win at Marseille. In only their second season back in Ligue 1, the capital's second club sit fourth – a Champions League qualifying place.

Behind them, Rennes dropped to fifth after a 5-2 loss at Nice, while Marseille (2-0 against Toulouse, Amine Harit scoring in the first minute) and Monaco lurk on 15. At the bottom, Le Havre are still waiting for a first win and have just two points.

Round 10: Rennes v Lille the key game

Date	Kick-off (CET)	Match
Fri 6 Nov	20:45	Toulouse v Strasbourg
Sat 7 Nov	17:15	Auxerre v Paris FC
Sat 7 Nov	20:45	PSG v Troyes
Sun 8 Nov	15:00	Rennes v Lille
Sun 8 Nov	17:15	Brest v Lyon
Sun 8 Nov	20:45	Lens v Marseille

PSG host Troyes, who are 16th, and could stretch the lead before the chasers even play. Second meets fifth in Brittany on Sunday afternoon, and Lyon face a Brest side that have just won 2-0 at Lorient.

Our take

PSG are the favourites again – the squad, the form and the goal difference all point that way. But a two-point lead after nine rounds is not a cushion, and the week is busy: PSG play at Villarreal and Lille at Bodø/Glimt in the Champions League tonight (21:00 CET), Rennes host Olympiacos and Lyon travel to Real Sociedad in the Europa League. Paris FC, with no European football, are the only side in the top five with a free midweek. The more interesting question is who stays with PSG. Lille have the steadiest defensive record, Lyon the quality, and Paris FC the momentum and the fresher legs. Rennes v Lille will thin out the group: the loser drops behind at least one rival before the international break.

Follow every Ligue 1 game live on EZCO – scores, line-ups and the table updated in real time.