PARIS: Hatem Ben Arfa's future at Paris Saint-Germain looks increasingly bleak after the France international winger was again left out of the squad by coach Unai Emery for Ligue 1 action on Tuesday.
Champions PSG take on newly promoted Dijon at the Parc des Princes lying three points shy of early Ligue 1 pacesetters Monaco, who host second-placed Nice on Wednesday.
This is the third consecutive game that Emery has not picked Ben Arfa, who arrived at PSG in the summer from Nice, the Spanish coach justifying his squad selection by saying it was a "purely sporting decision".
Ben Arfa, 29, has already missed out on the 1-1 draw with Arsenal in the Champions League and the 6-0 league thrashing of Caen last week.
"I'm preparing the team that I think to be the best to play the match," Emery said.
"He's a player like the others, I think that the players in the squad today are those who have best prepared for tomorrow's game," said Emery, who explained earlier this month that Ben Arfa needed to "work more".
Victory for PSG would lift them back onto the summit -- at least for 24 hours -- ahead of the top-of-the-table clash between Monaco and Nice.
Monaco followed up their shock 2-1 win over Tottenham in the Champions League at Wembley last week with a 3-0 defeat of Rennes to leave them top of the Ligue 1 pile on 13 points.
A double from Thomas Lemar and a towering Radamel Falcao header -- the Colombian's first goal for his club since August 2014 -- helped them see off the Brittany outfit and leapfrog PSG.
Monaco are seeking their eighth consecutive win against a Nice side only two points behind and featuring newly recruited playmaker Younes Belhanda.
The on-loan Dynamo Kiev forward's late strike in last weekend's 1-1 draw with Montpellier helped the Cote d'Azur side maintain their unbeaten start to the campaign.
Italian striker Mario Balotelli is due to return after the former Liverpool, Man City and AC Milan star sat out the Montpellier stalemate.
The midweek programme is wrapped up by Marseille -- who have only one win from their first five outings -- on the road at Rennes.
Marseille were a sad imitation of their former best in a drab goalless draw against Lyon on Sunday when they failed to muster a shot on target.
Watching the unappetising encounter from the Stade Velodrome directors' box was American tycoon Frank McCourt, the future owner of the ailing club.
"He's going to spark something and so much the better for us," said Marseille sporting director Basile Boli after meeting the 63-year-old former owner of baseball team Los Angeles Dodgers at the Lyon game.
McCourt held informal talks with the French league's financial watchdog (DNCG) on Monday. Once the sale is concluded he will have a second, formal meeting with the DNCG.
Fixtures (all 1700 GMT unless stated)
Tuesday
Lille v Toulouse, PSG v Dijon (1900)
Wednesday
Angers v Caen, Bastia v Nancy, Guingamp v Lorient, Lyon v Montpellier, Metz v Bordeaux, Nantes v Saint-Etienne, Nice v Monaco, Rennes v Marseille (1900)
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