A side-foot finish with the left boot in the 13th minute. A powerful penalty in the 38th. And a shot slid underneath the ‘keeper to finish the job (83’). By giving his side the lead on three different occasions, Alassane Plea was the star of Nice’s win over Metz.

So, it makes perfect sense that you voted the hat-trick hero Aiglon of the Match - Crédit Agricole, with 63% of the votes. It’s a deserved award for the young 23-year-old striker, who returned from the Lorraine region with the match ball, signed by his teammates for the first time in his career*.

While the entire squad takes credit for the excellent start to the season, Alassane Plea finishes off the work of his teammates with a clinical efficiency. Having started every away match of the campaign, the No.14 has provided the difference five times, with crucial goals, ensuring Le Gym claimed all three points (1-0 vs Angers and Nancy and 4-2 vs Metz).

Stopped in his ascendency last season by a nasty knee injury that kept him side-lined for nearly five months, Alassane Plea is, today, reaping the rewards for all his hard work to return to the highest level. Since resuming competition against Marseille on 14 February 2016, he has strung together excellent performances and goals. Ten of his 15 career Ligue 1 goals have come in 2016. In overtaking his club-mate Mario Balotelli in the scoring charts with six goals (five for the Italian), the ex-Lyon ace has already equalled his personal season record... and there are still 28 matches to go...

At the end of the match, Lucien Favre was quick to pay tribute to his attacker, highlighting his 'extraordinary potential', while insisting there is still plenty of work to be done.

But to fire home goals, he needs ammunition. And there’s a steady supply line with the technique and vision of players such as Mika Seri (for the opening goal) and Younes Belhanda (for the third). It was the latter that climbed onto the second step of the podium with 21% of the votes. The Morocco international was turning on the style against Metz. His technical skills were on show during the warm-up as he juggled with... his chewing-gum! And then with the football and his 'Zidanesque' pirouette in the 86th minute. In between, he earned the penalty for 2-1 before serving up the goal for 3-2 on a platter for Alassane Plea.

[VIDEO] Belhanda, #TotalRegal avec son chewing-gum ! #FCMOGCN
> https://t.co/e0NSWnnrJh

— beIN SPORTS (@beinsports_FR) 23 octobre 2016

Finally, Dante completes your top three. For his first match as captain of Le Gym, in the absence of Paul Baysse, the Brazilian was perfectly at home on the immaculate surface at the Stade Saint-Symphorien. He used his experience to lead his team by example, especially when Metz were pushing hard for a way back into the game.

* It’s the second time he has scored more than one goal in a game, following his brace against Guingamp on 14 May 2016.

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