Montpellier Hérault SC moved level at the top with Paris Saint-Germain FC following a 1-0 home victory against Olympique de Marseille on a day when OGC Nice had three players sent off.

If Marseille were hoping for a morale-boosting victory ahead of Wednesday's visit of Olympiacos FC, they were to be disappointed as their five-match unbeaten run in all competitions came to an end at Montpellier. Souleymane Diawara's own goal (62) proved sufficient to pop OM's balloon, while Montpellier surged back to the Ligue 1 summit, level on 30 points with Paris Saint-Germain, after this fourth win in five league encounters. PSG can restore their lead with home victory against AS Nancy-Lorraine on Sunday.

Earlier in the day there were victories for the summer's promoted sides Évian Thonon Gaillard FC (2-1) and Dijon FCO (2-0), while AC Ajaccio scored in added time to salvage a 2-2 draw against SM Caen, but it was AS Saint-Étienne's 2-0 victory against Nice that caught the eye, the Cote d'Azur outfit reduced to eight men after goalkeeper David Ospina (1), Eric Moloungoui (29) and Renato Civelli all saw red (86).