Lyon's fifth win in six games came thanks to goals from Tiago, Fred and Florent Malouda, all of whom had scored before Mickael Ciani grabbed a consolation goal in the 69th minute for the hosts.

Combined with Lille's shock 3-1 defeat at home to Toulouse, it meant Lyon went top of the table at the expense of Marseille, who will have to beat Bordeax by two clear goals if they want to reclaim first place on Sunday.

Lorient put up a good fight in the second half, and Lyon manager Gerard Houllier, who rested his midfield magician Juninho, said: "We played without Juninho to rest him a bit, but we didn't lack respect for Lorient.

"We came under threat early on, but Greg (Coupet) rose to the challenge.

"Lorient had a bit more bite in the second half but the second goal gave us the edge because up until then they had looked hopeful of scoring."

After just six league games Marseille and Lyon have become the early pacesetters.

And following their dominant 2-0 Champions League win over nine-times European champions Real Madrid in midweek, Lyon refused to take their foot off the gas against their Breton hosts.

It did not take long for them to threaten.

Lorient midfielder Guillaume Moullec headed the ball off the line in the opening minutes after a Sylvain Wiltord corner was sent over Ciani by Lyon's Brazilian dangerman Cris.

Moments later, Tiago opened the scoring on a similar action. Wiltord curled in the corner, and Brazilian midfielder Fred deflected the ball at the near post for Tiago to fire home. Lorient threatened an equaliser almost immediately.

Moullec ran up the left flank and his cross for Steve Marlet was met by a first-timer from the former Lyon man who forced Gregory Coupet to parry for a corner.

Malouda was celebrating his 200th match in the top flight and almost doubled their score in the 19th minute after first-timing a pass from Wiltord over the crossbar.

Only a wicked drive from Ulrich Le Pen in the 38th minute, which Coupet was forced to parry, redressed the balance slightly before the interval. Lorient had a much more positive second half.

After seven minutes Rafik Saifi turned provider for substitute Pierre-Andre Gignac, who controlled and shot only to see Coupet's hand turn the ball away.

Coupet then turned away a superb volley from Fabrice Abriel. Lorient were dominating, but their failure to equalise was felt most when Fred doubled the visitors' lead.

Wiltord sent Francois Clerc through on the right and the midfielder's cross found the head of Fred, which found the net.

Three minutes later Malouda scored Lyon's third goal, duping the Lorient defence after running on to a long through ball by midfielder Kim Kallstrom.

Lorient then reduced arrears through Ciani, who was quick to put a rebound from a Le Pen free kick past Coupet from close in.

Ciani's goal was the first ever for the club against Lyon, and the hosts had reason to have faith in the last 10 minutes only for Coupet to catch a header from Christophe Jallet after he rose above the Lyon defence.

Elsewhere Toulouse's win moved them up to third in the table ahead of Sunday, when both Nancy and St Etienne could push the southern club back down.

Le Mans grabbed a valuable 2-1 away win at Sedan to leave the Ardennes side still without a win while Valenciennes held on to a slim lead to stun visiting Nantes 1-0.

Former French giants Nantes began the season full of hope, but the team known as the 'Canaries' are still winless and starting to look more like penguins second from bottom of the table.