FC Lorient pulled alongside Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique de Marseille on 19 points with victory at AJ Auxerre on Friday, but coach Régis Le Bris is refusing to get carried away.
Lorient were dominant against the 1996 Ligue 1 Uber Eats champions, with Dango Ouattara, Terem Moffi and Enzo Le Fée making the game safe before Gauthier Hein scored what proved to be only a consolation for the hosts.
"The league ranking is anecdotal," Le Bris said after the game. "We took the points and that's the most important thing. Being top's just important in terms of how many points it means we have right now. It helps the sporting dynamic and the emotion around the club.
"But it's only Round 8. There are 38 games. I'm happy with our start to the season. Now it'll be necessary to go the distance. That's quite another thing."
Auxerre had more chances than just Hein's goal to get back into the game in the second half, and Le Bris's opposite number Jean-Marc Furlan hopes his side adjust to the top flight quickly after last season's promotion after 11 years away.
"Compared to what I see in the changing room, it's worrying," he said. "But we've picked up seven points and it's a long season. We signed players at the last moment and they're not yet in the swing of things like the others who've been here longer.
"What worries me most is that we didn't take those chances and take something from the game."
>> MATCH REPORTS: Lorient joint-top overnight with Auxerre win
