Montpellier Hérault SC missed the chance to go top of Ligue 1 after drawing 2-2 with Le Mans UC 72 while FC Girondins de Bordeaux are fifth having lost 3-1 at Paris Saint-Germain FC.

Olympique de Marseille therefore stay a point clear of Montpellier at the summit despite not playing OGC Nice until Sunday. Montpellier could have been worse off after falling behind in the first minute, Roland Lamah quickest off the mark for the hosts. René Girard's side were level on 12 minutes through Karim Aït-Fana and took the lead before half-time courtesy of Souleymane Camara's penalty (34). Grégory Cerdan and Cyril Jeunechamp were dismissed before the interval to reduce both sides to ten men and it was Lamah who had the last word, securing a point for Le Mans with 20 minutes remaining.

That result meant Bordeaux could have drawn level on points with Marseille in top spot. Laurent Blanc's side, however, on the back of their UEFA Champions League exit at the hands of Olympique Lyonnais in midweek, are three points adrift at the bottom of a congested top five. Following goalkeeper Ulrich Ramé's 31st-minute dismissal, they went 2-0 down in the capital and, despite brief hope provided by Ludovic Sané's goal 10 minutes from time, eventually fell to a comfortable defeat.

The rest of the top six are in action on Sunday, leaving Stade Rennais FC to close the gap with a 1-1 draw at Lorient FC. Grenoble Foot 38 stay rooted to the foot of the table having lost 4-0 at Toulouse FC and US Boulogne are also in the bottom three following a 3-0 defeat at RC Lens. AS Monaco FC are ninth after a 2-1 home win against Valenciennes FC while AS Saint-Étienne triumphed 2-0 at FC Sochaux-Montbéliard.