Good evening and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of Ligue 1 action where Nantes host Lille at Stade de la Beaujoire.

We should be in for a treat this evening, with fourth hosting third in the weekend's early fixture. Both Nantes and Lille are in great form at the moment, but something has to give tonight.

We start with the hosts, and Nantes have made a wonderful return to the top flight. The 2001 Ligue 1 champions are back in the big time and have won five of their last six games. Nantes currently occupying fourth in the table and trail league leaders Paris Saint-Germain by just five points. Les Canaris have already won six times this season, and are on a tremendous streak of four consecutive wins. However, their credentials will really be put to the test over the coming month as they clash with Montpellier, Bordeaux and Monaco on the spin, following this bout with Lille, which will be a clear indicator as to whether Nantes can be serious contenders for a European spot.

Nantes have Filip Djordjevic to thank for finding the back of the net six times already this campaign, although 20-year-old midfielder Jordan Veretout is one to keep your eyes on, and will surely be the interest of the league’s giants come the January transfer window.

However, they face a tough battle against the 2011 Ligue 1 champions this evening and they will have to try to end a run which has seen Lille goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama go 495 minutes without conceding a goal. Lille have eight clean sheets so far this season, which is the highest in any of Europe's major five divisions.

While many have their eyes locked on a title battle between the reigning champions and Monaco, Lille trail PSG by just four points after 10 games, but have had an easy run of fixtures, although they did get the better of Saint-Etienne in August. However, the majority of their victories have come against the teams scrapping it out at the bottom of the table, so Salomon Kalou and company are going to have to get results against the bigger clubs to put themselves in the title hunt. Matches against PSG, Monaco and Marseille all come before Christmas.

Right let's bring you the team news, starting with the hosts.

NANTES XI: Riou, Alhadhur, Cissokho, Djilobodji, Vizcarrondo, Bessat, Deaux, Toure, Veretout, Djordjevic, Gakpe

Michel Der Zakarian has made just one change to the team that beat Ajaccio on the road last weekend.

Banel Nicolita drops to bench, and is replaced by Vincent Bessat in midfield.

Here is what Der Zakarian has on his bench.

NANTES BENCH: Zelazny, Cichero, Veigneau, Bedoya, Nicolita, Trebel, Aristeguieta

And now for the visitors.

LILLE XI: Enyeama, Beria, Kjaer, Rozenhal, Souare, Balmont, Gueye, Mavuba, Kalou, Rodelin, Roux

Unlike his opposite dugout, Rene Girard has decided to stick with the side who picked up a 1-0 win at Montpellier HSC last time out.

That means Lille will retain a front three of Kalou, Rodelin and Roux, while Girard has seen no reason to change his backline.

Let's take a look at Lille substitutes.

LILLE BENCH: Elana, Sidibe, Delaplace, Meite, De Melo, Origi, Ruiz

We're just moments from kick off, and the Stade de la Beaujoire is absolutely buzzing. What a treat of a fixture we have on a Friday night.

Out come the teams.

Nantes are in their all-yellow home kit, while Lille also sport their first strip of red shirts with navy shorts and socks.

KICK OFF! Nantes, playing from left to right, get the match started.

Nearly an early chance for Lille as Kalou chased down a pass on the edge of the box, but he tripped Cissokho in the process.

Nantes with most of the ball so far, but it's been in their own half and they are giving it away cheaply. Signs of nervousness perhaps.

Nothing in the way of chances yet, but Vincent Enyeama has now gone 500 minutes without conceding for Lille. Great achievement.

First opportunity falls to the home side as Veretout curls a free kick from the right into the box. Vizcarrondo rises at the far post among a crowd of bodies, but he can't keep his head down.

Lille now starting to take control of the game and enjoying a bit more possession. Riou yet to be tested yet though.

Lille break forward with a fluid counter-attack. Mavuba plays the ball to Rodelin, who fancies a crack from range, but he drags it along the floor from the centre and wide of the far post.

There is a clash of heads between Vizcarrondo and Cissokho has left the latter on the deck and in pain. I'm sure he will be fine.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere at Stade de la Beaujoire is fantastic. The home fans are making their voices heard and it's just tremendous.

Beria flashes down the right but fails to find a teammate in the box as his cross flies behind.

It's a very even contest at the moment, neither side is giving an inch to the opposition, but it does seem the sort of match that will profit from a mistake to get it going.

Toure beats the offside trap and flies down the right side of the box. He is almost going too quick for himself, and pings his cross/shot into the side-netting.

CHANCE! Opportunity for Lille and it's nice work from Salomon Kalou. He picks up the ball on the left of the box and runs past two to the edge of the area before turning to leave them wrong-footed, but his left-footed shot is lacking power and is too easy for Riou.

Nantes find a good response as Gakpe goes down the right and whips in a ball across the face of goal which is heading towards Bessat. The midfielder looks likely to get to the ball first, but Souare goes with him and is able to hook the ball beyond Bessat's reach and out for a throw on the far side.

Sloppy play from Enyeama as he dribbles a back pass out of play and gives Nantes a corner.

Enyeama gets away with it as Nantes fail to make the most of it.

Nice counter-attack from Lille as Roux lays off Kalou who plays it wide on the left of the box to Rodelin. He is outnumbered though and wins a corner after trying out a rabona cross.

The corner is blocked at the near post, and Nantes can slam it clear.

Lille are looking increasingly dangerous now and are enjoying a lot more attacks.

CLOSE! That's the closest we've come to an opener in this half. Kalou has the ball on the right of the penalty area and passes it inside to Roux. He meets it with a first-time side-foot effort, which curls just wide of the far corner. Unlucky.

First blood to Lille and it has been coming. The ball finds its way out on the right with Rodelin who drills a low cross towards the far post where Roux is able to get to it first and put it in the back of the net. Hint of an offside there, but the goal stands.

YELLOW CARD Gueye has gone into the book for a possible lunge of Cissokho, but it looked a clean tackle to be honest.

There will be just one extra minute at the end of the half.

So it's the third-place team who lead heading into the break and Lille probably deserve it. Both sides seemed cagey to start the half, but Lille began to attack more freely and created the better chances. Roux, with his third goal of the season, separates the two at the break.

Let's bring you the half-time stats.

Match statistics:

Nantes:
Shots 2
On target 0
Possession 47%
Corners 1
Fouls 5

Lille:
Shots 6
On target 2
Possession 53%
Corners 1
Fouls 9

Nantes are back out at Stade de la Beaujoire as we await the second half.

NANTES CHANGE Chaker Alhadhur has been replaced by Olivier Veigneau.

KICK OFF! Lille, playing from left to right, get the match back underway.

YELLOW CARD Djilobodji has gone into the book for a heavy challenge of Rodelin.

CHANCE! Lille have started brightly and had a chance just then to double their lead as Balmont picked up the ball. Nantes failed to close him down as he made his way to the edge of the box before smashing a low effort, but it bounced wide of the near post.

MISS! I thought this was 2-0 and it should have been. Kalou has the ball on the right touchline and threads a pass through to Roux. The striker takes it in his stride and outpaces his marker before rounding the keeper. All he needs to do his slot it into an empty net, but he somehow pulls it across the face of goal and wide of the far post. That was a huge chance.

Nantes are yet to get going in this second half, and they need to do something sooner rather than later, otherwise they'll be too far behind.

The home crowd are really getting behind their team. It's a sea of yellow in the stands with almost every fan holding a scarf aloft.

Nantes are pressing now, but Lille are showing why they have kept a clean sheet in their last five matches. Djordjevic is really up against it in the final third and is being heavily marked.

Bessat goes down the left and wins a corner for Nantes. Lille weren't happy that the hosts played on after Rodelin went down.

CHANCE! Nantes nearly find an equaliser through Gakpe, but his header from the edge of the six-yard box is straight at Enyeama.

Nantes are still pressing for a leveller. You get the feeling that this game has another goal in it, and the next one will be crucial.

Enyeama has been kept busy in the Lille goal in this second half, but he has yet to really be properly tested yet.

Lille are readying Meite.

LILLE CHANGE Meite is on, and in place of Rodelin. Girard looking to consolidate what they have from the looks of it.

NANTES CHANGE Very attacking alteration from Les Canaris as Aristeguieta replaces Toure.

CHANCE! Kalou should do better here. He is free inside the penalty area and gets his head to a cross. But it is lacking any power and is easy for Riou.

YELLOW CARD Kjaer goes into the book for chopping down Deaux on the left. Good position this free kick for Nantes.

Good teasing cross from Veretout, but Enyeama can push it away.

YELLOW CARD They're starting to pile up here. Roux is shown a yellow for tripping Bessat.

NANTES CHANGE Bessat is taken off, with the man who he replaced in the starting lineup, Nicolita, coming on.

It's quite clearly attack vs. defence here. Nantes are going for it, while Lille are protecting what they have before hitting their opponents on the break.

SAVE! Excellent second stop from Enyeama. Nantes have tons of bodies in the box as the cross comes in, and Enyeama is forced to push the ball away. A second chance falls to Aristeguieta, who tries to pull of a powerful overhead kick. It looks to be heading for the back of the net, but Enyeama puts his body of the line and makes a super block.

RED CARD! Djilobodji is given his marching orders for picking up a second yellow card. This times be brings down Kalou from behind.

It's the Lille fans you can hear now as their side closes in on this win.

Do Nantes have one last attack in them? They have a corner.

LILLE CHANGES Kalou and Balmont are taken off, with Tulio De Melo and Jonathan Delaplace coming on.

We will have four minutes of stoppage time.

Lille have possession high up the field, and Souare is down asking for treatment. Nantes are begging him to get back to his feet, but he is having none of it.

This really is a big fuss over nothing now. Everyone is involved in a tussle although no punches or shoves have been thrown yet.

This game still goes on. Eventful finish to this game.

Long ball into the box for Nantes with everyone forward, but Enyeama brilliantly claims it.

Well that's that. Lille hold on to move to second in the table. Nantes really went for it towards the end but their four-match win streak comes to an end thanks to a Nolan Roux goal shortly before half time.

Here are the full-time stats.

Match statistics:

Nantes:
Shots 7
On target 2
Possession 49%
Corners 5
Fouls 11

Lille:
Shots 11
On target 4
Possession 51%
Corners 1
Fouls 19

Well that's it from me tonight. I'll be back tomorrow starting with Marseille vs. Reims before all of the late matches. Stick with Sports Mole this weekend. Goodnight.