ESTAC Troyes 2-3 Olympique de Marseille 

THE MATCH

Troyes began the day in 18th, just one point better off than LOSC in the automatic relegation places and some 34 worse off than UEFA Champions League-chasing Marseille, in fourth. That didn't stop them from opening the scoring with the first attack of the game, though. Erwin Zelazny launched a long ball forward and Stéphane Darbion - after a smart one-two with Benjamin Nivet - whipped a cross in for Samuel Grandsir to nod home (1'). Marseille were back on level terms ten minutes later, though, with N'Jie firing his seventh goal of the Ligue 1 Conforama season in off the Troyes post after a clever free-kick from his captain, Dimitri Payet (11'). OM ended the first half as much the stronger side, and could easily have taken a 2-1 lead into the interval, but Zelazny scrambled well to deny Valère Germain after a slipping N'Jie's shot nearly turned into an assist (21') before Jordan Amavi was denied by the Troyes shot-stopper, the former Aston Villa left-back inches away from his first Marseille goals with a long-range piledriver (45').

OM make pressure tell

Troyes were relieved to hear Sébastien Moreira's whistle go for half-time, but positively rejuvenated after the interval, again taking the lead with the first attack of the period. Grandsir took advantage of some uncharacteristically poor defending from Luiz Gustavo before forcing a save from Zelazny's opposite number Yohann Pelé, and Nivet was on hand to stroke home the rebound (49'). Adama Niane forced a save from Pelé - which l'ESTAC coach Jean-Louis Garcia though was outside the area (61') - but most of the second-half traffic flowed in the other direction from thereon, with Payet seeing an effort from the edge of the home box punched away by Zelazny (63') before Mitroglou made their pressure tell, gleefully capitalising on Payet's selfless pass to steer home his sixth goal of the campaign, and fourth of 2018 (75'). Thauvin then snatched the victory with five minutes to go, volleying Amavi's cross into Zelazny's net to conclude the scoring at 3-2.

THE PLAYER: Dimitri Payet

Payet was not included in Didier Deschamps' most recent France squads for the friendlies against Colombia and Russia, but the attacking midfielder said he would respond with his performances, and he's been good to his word. Payet created a game-high 12 chances for his teammates - two of which were taken - as without the 31-year-old on the pitch it is doubtful Marseille would be toasting three points tonight.

THE STAT: 34

Payet may have been the Man of the Match but Thauvin's numbers simply have to be talked about. His winner was his 17th strike in the French top flight this season, and all told, the former Newcastle winger has now chipped in with 20 goals and 14 assists in all competitions.