LOSC Lille Métropole capitalised on the top three all failing to win this weekend with a 1-0 triumph against bottom-placed Grenoble Foot 38 that takes them to within two points of Ligue 1's co-leaders.

FC Girondins de Bordeaux were held by AS Monaco FC on Saturday, while nearest challengers Montpellier Hérault SC and AJ Auxerre played out a draw of their own to open the door for Lille. The UEFA Europa League contenders, fresh from their 1-0 defeat of Liverpool FC in midweek, took full advantage but needed a Boštjan Cesar own goal two minutes after half-time to break the visitors' resistance.

Now on 51 points, two shy of Bordeaux and Montpellier and one behind Auxerre, Lille could have found themselves in fifth had Olympique de Marseille won. Didier Deschamps' side, though, are sixth on 50 points after a 1-1 draw at Toulouse FC. Brandão gave them the lead on the half-hour only for Paulo Machado to equalise nine minutes later. In the day's other game, Stade Rennais FC climbed to eighth (43 points) courtesy of a 2-0 triumph at ten-man Valenciennes FC.