Ligue 1 week 29

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

Every time Lyon mess it up, so do the chasers. Every week after Lyon stuff it up and look vulnerable, they have a winnable fixture to follow it up. And so it is again, with Sochaux the visitors to the Gerland. Sochaux are out of the bottom three, but still in big trouble and Lyon are hot, hot favourites here providing they have the rout in Barcelona out of their system. Toulouse and PSG meet in tie of the round. Expect goals. Guillaume Hoarau and André-Pierre Gignac are vying for the golden boot with the latter called up to the national side while the former has not. Bordeaux should beat Le Havre, all but down, to maintain their push and Marseille should do likewise over Nantes who are in freefall.

Valenciennes have been great lately and their revival goes to Rennes this week while St Etienne need a win at Lorient. Should they do that, then Nancy and Nantes will be in huge trouble, Nancy with a tough home game against Monaco, themselves not out of danger. Auxerre suddenly look down from mid-table and can heap more pain on Le Mans this weekend. Nice should beat Caen who are rubbish, and Lille, now the form side in the league, play Grenoble who are comfortable in the middle of the pack having flirted with the bottom few at times throughout the season.