It is a case of as you were at the top after leaders Paris Saint-Germain FC and Montpellier Hérault SC recorded victories as Ligue 1 resumed from its winter break.

PSG established a three-point lead over their nearest rivals in the last set of fixtures of 2011 and continue to hold that advantage following Carlo Ancelotti's first league game in charge, a 3-1 home win against Toulouse FC in which Nenê (38, 67) scored twice.

Montpellier, meanwhile, owe their lofty position to the prolific form of striker Olivier Giroud, who extended his tally of top-flight goals to 14 this season with the winner in a 1-0 triumph over fourth-placed Olympique Lyonnais. LOSC Lille Métropole, in third, visit seventh-placed Olympique de Marseille in Sunday's only fixture.

Stade Rennais FC moved level with Lyon in fifth, eight points behind PSG, thanks to a 2-0 success at SM Caen, Jirès Kembo Ekoko and Víctor Montaño on target for Les Rouges et Noirs.

Elsewhere, bottom-of-the-table AC Ajaccio prevailed 2-1 against AJ Auxerre − despite playing 48 minutes with nine men following the dismissals of Samuel Bouhours and Arnaud Maire. Auxerre had Anthony Le Tallec sent off (22) shortly after Dennis Oliech had given them the lead.