FC Lorient 1-4 LOSC

THE MATCH

Benjamin André and Xeka were suspended for Thursday's narrow 2-1 loss to Ajax in the UEFA Europa League, but they were back and bossing the Lille midfield here, and there was little surprise when the visitors pulled into the lead. Zeki Çelik did well to control a loose ball in the Lorient box, and although he and Jonathan David then struck the ball simultaneously, if deflected off Andrew Gravillon and beyond Matthieu Dreyer and went down as an own goal (21'). Lorient pulled one back when Jérôme Hergault curled home a fine first goal for his club (23'), but LOSC were always in the ascendancy, and after Ikoné had seen a headed effort ruled out for offside (35'), Fonte thumped home a fine goal from the edge of the boy for 2-1 (38').

Les Dogues find their bite

Neither side made any changes at the interval, but Lorient looked livelier after the restart, Galtier's opposite number and namesake Pélissier's words no doubt still ringing in their ears. Julien Laporte nearly restored parity when he rose highest to meet Enzo Le Fée's set piece, but Mike Maignan did well to make the save (54'). LOSC soon settled, though, and Ikoné made it 3-1 when guided home a fine first goal of 2021 from a free-kick (59'). Lille brought on Timothy Weah and Yusuf Yazici for Jonathan David and Jonathan Bamba soon after (65'), and Yazici came close to making it four for his side, turning Gravillon and letting fly, but Dreher was equal to his effort (80').  Bradaric did add gloss to the scoreline late on (90'+1) and it ended 4-1.

THE PLAYER: Jonathan Ikoné

It was telling that Jonathans David and Bamba made way for Weah and Yazici in the second half, with Ikoné left to dictate play in the final third. The France international has been slow to get going since the turn of the year but is now up to six goals and five assists for the season - which would have been seven for the former had his first-half header counted.

THE STAT: 7

Lille have won their last seven Ligue 1 Uber Eats matches on the road. The league leaders have not lost away from their Stade Pierre-Mauroy since November, when they were edged 3-2 by Stade Brestois 29. A first league title since 2011 is certainly no pipe dream with form like this.

OGC Nice 1-2 FC Metz

FC Metz stayed within touching distance of the European places with an impressive 2-1 win over OGC Nice at the Allianz Riviera.

William Saliba and Jean-Clair Todibo - ineligible for the 3-2 loss at Olympique de Marseille on Wednesday - were restored to Nice's central defence - but Metz were utterly unfazed by their return and were two goal to the good before the first half was out through Boubakar Kouyaté (15') and Lamine Gueye (37').

Nice pulled one back from the penalty spot just inside the hour, Amine Gouiri converting a cheeky Panenka penalty after being felled by Fabien Centonze in the visitors' box (59'), but Metz held on to secure their first win in the Côte d'Azur since October 1995, when a 21-year-old Robert Pires was on target for les Grenats.

RC Lens 2-1 Dijon FCO

RC Lens currently occupy the fifth and final European place - good enough for next season's UEFA Conference League play-off round - two points clear of Metz, after beating Dijon FCO 2-1 in a match they controlled.

Seko Fofana got the hosts underway at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis, the former Manchester City academy player volleying an effort past Anthony Racioppi on the half-hour (30'). Dijon pulled one back through a Ngonda Muzinga (61') thunderbolt, but parity lasted just three minutes with Simon Banza forcing home Jonathan Clauss's free-kick (64')

Dijomn ended the game with 10 men after Aboubakar Kamara was given his marching orders for a dangerous challenge on Jonathan Gradit (75') and Lens comfortably closed out their fifth consecutive game without defeat.

Nîmes Olympique 2-0 Girondins de Bordeaux

Pascal Plancque's Nîmes Olympique pulled to within one win of safety, meanwhile, after a comprehensive 2-0 triumph over Girondins de Bordeaux at the Stade des Costières.

Birger Meling was the rather unlikely source of the first goal, converting well after a smart exchange with Zinedine Ferhat (14'). Bordeaux lost Loris Benito to a red card for a last-man foul on Karim Aribi (68') and les Crocos took full advantage of their numerical superiority when Renaud Ripart made it 2-0 with a header (71').

RC Strasbourg Alsace 0-0 Angers SCO

There was no separating RC Strasbourg Alsace and Angers SCO at the Stade de la Meinau, the sides playing out a goalless draw near the Franco-German border.

Frédéric Guilbert has slotted in at right-back following his loan move from Aston Villa, and Strasbourg rarely looked threatened - although Ibrahima Diallo did crash an effort back off their crossbar a minute from time (89'). The point leaves the hosts seven clear of the drop zone, with Anger five away in 10th.