Ligue 1 week 27

Saturday:
Toulouse v Bordeaux
Nancy v Le Mans
Marseille v Valenciennes
Grenoble v Caen
Lorient v PSG
Nice v Monaco
Lille v Lyon
Sunday:
Le Havre v Sochaux
Rennes v Auxerre
St Etienne v Nantes

This could be a defining week in Ligue 1 both at the top and down at the bottom. The top five are all in action on Saturday with top of the bill being Toulouse, currently fifth, against Bordeaux, fourth. The loser here can wave goodbye to any real tilt at the title, whittling the list of contenders down to four. Toulouse seem to have lost their way in front of goal and where André-Pierre Gignac couldn't stop scoring, he's now just lost his way. You could forgive Laurent Blanc being driven to drink given Bordeaux's erratic form. Perhaps they rely too much on the talents of Yoann Gourcuff, but they need a run of wins if they're to re-establish themselves as the side most likely.

The team that's taken that mantle is PSG and they go to Lorient, both of whom lost in the cup in midweek, PSG to amateur side Rodez. They rested a few for the cup tie, but will still be without Claude Makelele and Sébastien Sessegnon through suspension for this. Marseille's challenge has faltered lately, mainly through a lack of goals and they take on a resurgent Valenciennes, no longer in the bottom three. As midfielder Benoit Cheyrou admits, "They have the profile of a team that suits us the least". Getting his excuses in early? Maybe, but he has a point. Valenciennes are now on a run of nine games without defeat and they'll fancy continuing that against a fragile Marseille. Lyon continue to lead, but travel to the Stade de France to take on Lille this week. There was a big scare when Karim Benzema was carried off last week, but there was no major damage and he should start this one. Lille beat Lyon in the cup, with Benzema not risked and Juninho and John Mensah rested and Jeremy Toulalan suspended. They're all back and there's a wiff of revenge in the air.

Nantes are on the slide, a big slide at that. This week, they go to St Etienne, second from bottom. Despite their position, Les Verts are playing pretty well - just totally unable to hang onto a lead. Win this one though, and they're out of the drop zone and Nantes are deeply in the merde. The opposite is equally true. Sochaux, too, are on the rise and they face Le Havre who are, let's face it, gone. There's a proverbial six-pointer up in the Alps where Caen go to Grenoble. The loser here is in major trouble - more so than now. Le Mans take on Nancy, another team sliding rapidly down the standings. Le Mans are four points clear of the drop zone, so a win here lifts them into relative safety while Nancy are getting dragged into something they really don't want to be. Form is worryingly absent. Monaco are only three points above the trapdoor and face a derby against Nice at the Stade du Ray. Nice are in something of a no-mans land and their president has been saying that qualifying for Europe may be more bother than it's worth, with the stadium not having a UEFA license. That's worrying talk and taking their eye off the ball may give the Monagasques a sniff.

Also sat in the middle of nowhere are Auxerre, whose terrific recent run has pulled them clear of danger, for now. They face Rennes this week where an away win for AJA will all but end any hope of Rennes making Europe next season. Auxerre need to keep winning to end any talk of relegation - they remain just five clear of the drop zone - though should results go for them, they should be alright. Ireneusz Jelen's return has given them a huge boost and his quality is the difference between them now and relegation.

It remains tight at top and bottom, but the picture will begin to clear after this weekend's games.