Coach Lucien Favre faces a dilemma over Mario Balotelli as Nice bid to maintain their superb start to the Ligue 1 season this weekend.

The mercurial striker has made a big impact since joining the club from Liverpool at the end of last month, scoring four goals in his first two league appearances.

His double against Monaco in midweek helped take Nice to the top of the table but with the Italian having also missed a game due to muscle problems, Favre knows he may have to use him sparingly.

“We will see how he feels,” Favre said on the prospects of his new signing playing at Nancy tomorrow.

Favre could opt to play Balotelli at Stade Marcel-Picot and rest him instead for next week’s UEFA Europa League clash against FK Krasnodar in Russia.

Victory over Nancy, who are unbeaten in three games after losing their opening three, would ensure Nice go into next week as leaders regardless of results elsewhere.

Defender Paul Baysse said: “We are trying to remain focused and looking to pick up all the points there are to be taken.

“We are enjoying life to the full this season, in every competition, but we are keeping our feet on the ground and we know the work that we still need to do in order to keep progressing.”

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