PARIS - Lille have made an uninspiring start to the defence of their French title but the recovery from injury of Dimitri Payet and Aurelien Chedjou comes at just the right time for Saturday's clash with Auxerre and their in-form goalscorer Alain Traore.

Last season's double winners are four points behind leaders Paris St Germain after nine games and even at this early stage of the campaign, any gap to the big-spending capital club could be significant.

A 2-0 win over Stade Rennes before the international break helped Lille not get left behind after five successive draws and defender Chedjou recovering from a thigh problem and midfielder Payet shaking of a knee injury are further boosts.

Payet was Lille's major signing in the close season from St Etienne but he failed to shine before his injury and now has loanee Joe Cole of England competing for a place in Rudi Garcia's side.        

"I have not enjoyed the start to the season I dreamed of. Now with my knee sorted, I feel calmer," France's Payet told the club's official website (www.losc.fr).  

"I see the competition with Joe Cole as healthy. He has adapted well, he is decisive and has fit into our style of play."

Lille travel to an Auxerre side (1700 GMT) which flirted with relegation last term but lie in a steady ninth this season having lost just one and drawn six of their opening nine encounters.

Auxerre's Traore -- only a midfielder -- is joint-top scorer in Ligue 1 with six goals alongside Olympique Lyon's Bafetimbi Gomis, whose side look to recover from the 2-0 defeat at PSG last time out when they welcome bottom side Nancy on Saturday (1700).

Striker Gomis made his comeback to the France squad last week after a two-year absence as Les Bleus limped into the Euro 2012 finals.

While Lille and third-placed Lyon have been inconsistent, and PSG -- who visit promoted Corsican side Ajaccio on Sunday (1500) -- have been flying, last term's runners-up Olympique Marseille have endured a terrible time.

Didier Deschamps' outfit are 13th and go to surprise packages Toulouse on Saturday (1700) after owner Margarita Louis-Dreyfus launched an attack on the side last week.

"OM are not playing as they should given the money I give them," she told Le Monde, hinting she might consider selling.

She attends training later on Thursday.