PARIS (AFP) In-form Monaco go into their game at Bordeaux on Saturday knowing that victory will allow them to finish the weekend at the top of the French first division for the first time since September 2004. Guy Lacombes side are on a run of three straight league wins and head to the Stade Chaban-Delmas a point behind the defending champions in second place. Monacos recent form has seen them move ahead of Lyon and Marseille in the race to wrestle the crown from Bordeaux, whose 3-0 victory at home to Le Mans last weekend came after back-to-back defeats in the league. We have to take the three points, particularly as its Monaco, said Bordeaux goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso. We cant drop points against our nearest rivals. They won at Marseille (a 2-1 victory on October 4) so weve been warned. We know theyre a strong team, and theyre chasing three points. But so are we. Monaco were grateful to league top scorer Nene for their 3-1 win at Boulogne-sur-Mer last time out, after the Brazilian forward struck two sublime free-kicks late on to take his personal tally for the season to nine. The principality side are likely to be without South Korean striker Chu-Young Park, who scored the opener against Boulogne, as well as midfielder Cedric Mongongu, with both players struggling to overcome foot injuries. Im hoping both will be fit in time, but Im more optimistic for Cedric than I am for Chu, said Lacombe. The last time Monaco were top of the table their coach was Didier Deschamps, who made his return to French football when he joined former club Marseille in July. A sizeable summer outlay on new players prompted some observers to install the Mediterranean outfit as title favourites, but they are currently five points behind leaders Bordeaux in fifth place - albeit with a game in hand after their match with Paris Saint-Germain last Sunday was postponed. Marseille will now confront PSG on November 20 but their opponents on Saturday are 11th-placed Toulouse, who have struggled to recapture the form that saw them to a fourth-placed finish last term. Andre-Pierre Gignac, the leagues top scorer last season, is yet to fire for Toulouse but he notched his second goal of the campaign in the 2-0 win at Lens last weekend and is looking forward to returning to a ground where he has enjoyed success in the past. The Velodrome is a magnificent stadium, he said. Last season I scored twice there and I also scored the winning goal there for Lorient three years ago. Ive never lost against OM and I dont think itll happen this weekend. The pressure is on them, we have nothing to lose. Saturdays late game is the local derby between Saint-Etienne and Lyon, who are seeing to bounce back from a shock 4-1 defeat at Nice that knocked them off top spot. The derby is a special match in the league schedule, said Lyon captain Jeremy Toulalan. I was able to take part in a number of Nantes-Rennes derbies, but the intensity of the Saint-Etienne-Lyon derby is multiplied by two or three. This match looks complicated because Saint-Etienne are also on a poor run of results, but in difficulty we have always stood up to be counted. We are aware that this week will be important on a points level. We mustnt get too far behind. PSG travel to Sochaux on Sunday, with Mamadou Sakho, Ludovic Giuly and Jeremy Clement having all returned to training following the swine flu outbreak that prompted the postponement of their match at Marseille. Fixtures Saturday (1700GMT unless otherwise stated) Auxerre v Montpellier, Bordeaux v Monaco, Boulogne-sur-Mer v Nancy, Grenoble v Lille, Lens v Lorient, Marseille v Toulouse, Saint-Etienne v Lyon (1900GMT) Sunday (1500GMT unless otherwise stated) Nice v Le Mans, Rennes v Valenciennes, Sochaux v Paris Saint-Germain (1900GMT)