PSG's 4-0 win in Dijon and Monaco's 2-0 win over Brest took full advantage of draws for leaders LOSC and now-third placed Lyon, the capital club stealing second and Monaco going within a point of OL after their Olympico stalemate at the Orange Vélodrome.
Although things went much to plan as Mauricio Pochettino's men travelled to bottom club Dijon on Saturday and extracted a 4-0 victory - Kylian Mbappé bagging a brace bookended by Moise Kean's opener and Danilo Pereira's first goal from the club - the result was made that much better for the capital club when leaders LOSC were lucky to rescue a point at home to a feisty Strasbourg side the following day.
Pochettino: 'Super-important'
"I am very happy with the performance. There is a measured joy," said Pochettino, pleased to have seen Ligue 1 Uber Eats top scorer Mbappé return to form after a disappointing performance in last week's defeat to Monaco - a result that left Paris's title hopes contingent on other teams. "We knew we had twelve games to win and this was the first one. That's what I was expecting and we took three points that are super-important for what's to come."
The result took PSG second, halving their four-point deficit behind leaders LOSC, who looked to captain fantastic Jose Fonte to rescue a point with his second goal in as many matches after Ludovic Ajorque had slapped home a superb volley to put Les Dogues on the back foot in the first half.
Galtier grateful
"This was a miracle draw!" exclaimed LOSC boss Christophe Galtier after his league leaders extended their unbeaten run to nine match despite a strong showing from Strasbourg. "One of our best was [goalkeeper]Mike Maignan, he was able to keep us in the game at 1-0 and 1-1. But we can't, we mustn't expect our defence to be the strongest, we have to do things differently, to have more character. I am disappointed, not angry, at the lack of enterprise and determination on an offensive level."
Meanwhile Lyon, sitting in second heading into Round 27, looked set to claim honours in the Olympico at the Orange Vélodrome when Karl Toko Ekambi lashed in his 12th of the season. However, after Arkadiusz Milik levelled from the spot and Lucas Paqueta copped a second yellow for a dangerous tackle on Dimitri Payet, Rudi Garcia's men did well just to hang onto the point as it ended 1-1.
Garcia: 'Fell apart'
"It was two points dropped for us because we started the match well but then it became a point won because we finished with ten men," said OL boss Rudi Garcia. "That we didn't win is our own fault first of all. We started very well, we controlled the match well scored a very nice goal after a great collective action. But then our game fell apart a bit; we didn't know how to press, even though we always hoped to win."
The result paved the way for fourth-placed Monaco cement their 14-point lead over fifth and step to within one point of Lyon as they stretched their unbeaten run to 12 matches (ten wins) with a 2-0 beating of Brest in Brittany. Germany international Kevin Volland hit his 13th of the campaign to seal the win that follows on from victor at the Parc des Prince s in Round 26, but coach Niko Kovac still refused to talk about a top-three finish.
Kovac keeping mum
"In this match, it was important to show more in the attack after the match against PSG. We did that; we created a lot of opportunities. The opposing goalkeeper was the man of the match," said the former Croatia international. "The podium? Yes, it's a taboo subject! When we have enough points to be absolutely sure of fourth place, we'll talk about it."
Metz, Lens still in European frame
Elsewhere, Metz continued their surprise push for a European finish with a 2-1 win in Bordeaux, Les Grenats climbing to fifth at the expense of fellow surprise packets RC Lens, whose thrilling 2-2 draw in Angers saw them slip to sixth.
Stéphan calls it quits on Rennes run
It was honours even for Montpellier too, whose goalless draw in Reims saw them climb to eight, while a troubled Rennes side fell 2-1 at home to a resurgent OGC Nice - a result that stretched their winless run to seven in all competitions and prompted coach Julien Stéphan to call time on his tenure at the helm of the Brittany giants. He will be replaced in the interim by assistant coach Philippe Bizeul.
Dog fight
FC Lorient managed to claw their way out of the drop zone with a 2-1 win over Saint-Etienne, while a 1-1 draw between Nantes and Nîmes at the Stade des Costières left both sides locked in the bottom three, with Les Crocos currently occupying the relegation play-off spot in 18th.