Reigning champions Marseille moved to the Ligue 1 summit with a thumping win over wasteful Montpellier.

Lucho Gonzalez and Benoit Cheyrou gave the hosts a 2-0 half-time lead at the Stade Velodrome and Mathieu Valbuena and Loic Remy completed a dominant win.

But it came at a cost as full-back Cesar Azpilicueta suffered a serious knee ligament injury and was ruled out for six months.

Marseille pressed from the early stages and Valbuena tried to lob Geoffrey Jourdren in the fourth minute, the keeper gathering at the second attempt.

Marseille keeper Steve Mandanda saved well from Olivier Giroud's header before Azpilicueta twisted his knee with no opponent nearby and was replaced by Charles Kabore. Montpellier defender Cyril Jeunechamp would also depart midway through the half, Abdelhamid El Kaoutari taking his place.

By that point, though, the home team had taken the lead as Cheyrou's cross was flicked on by Brandao for Lucho to volley into the top corner.

Jourdren blocked Andre Ayew's cross-shot but the second goal was not long in coming as Cheyrou's effort took two deflections and left Jourdren hopelessly wrong-footed.

Montpellier, who had been off target with a host of efforts, almost halved the deficit in the 41st minute when Geoffrey Dernis' pass sent Hasan Kabze through one on one with Mandanda, who pulled off a superb save to preserve his side's advantage.

Souleymane Diawara also threw his body on the line to keep the visitors out nine minutes into the second half, blocking both Dernis' free-kick and Kabze's follow-up.

Jourdren performed heroics of his own at the other end to repel Lucho's dangerous free-kick - but he was beaten for a third time in the 65th minute when the Argentina midfielder played in Valbuena and the France forward slotted low into the net.

That goal killed off any hope Montpellier had of keeping the contest alive and Remy added the final coat of gloss to the scoreline in injury time, racing in behind the defence and calmly beating Jourdren.