By Lucia Mutikani

WASHINGTON, Oct 2 (Reuters) - US job growth likely slowed in September and the unemployment rate is forecast to have been 4.1% for a third straight month, suggesting the labor market remained stable heading into the fourth quarter.

The anticipated moderation would follow a surprise jump in nonfarm payrolls in August, which economists partly attributed to volatility ‌linked to the model the government uses to strip out seasonal fluctuations from the data. The Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics will publish its closely watched employment report on Friday.

"I am ‌expecting a reaffirmation of the 'low-hire, low-fire' American labor market," said Joe Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM. "At this point, we're at full employment, and I think there will be nothing in the jobs report that will cause the Federal Reserve to change its ​bias from one more hike this year."