Depleted Lyon held up by lowly Valenciennes

French league leaders Lyon missed out on the chance to put real daylight between themselves and their Ligue 1 title rivals when they were held to a surprising 0-0 draw at home to second-bottom Valenciennes on Saturday.

The reigning champions, who are chasing an eighth consecutive Ligue 1 title, went into the game shorn of the services of leading scorer Karim Benzema through injury and captain Juninho through suspension.

They were also missing full-backs Anthony Reveillere and Francois Clerc, but France international holding midfielder Jeremy Toulalan overcame a sore foot to start.

Lyon dominated possession and peppered the visitors' goal with over 30 shots, but in driving rain that turned much of the Stade Gerland pitch to mud they were frustrated by a Valenciennes side who have recorded just two league victories all season.

The point picked up at the champions takes Antoine Kombouare's side to within a point of fourth-bottom Le Havre, who slumped to a 2-0 defeat at home to Nantes thanks to a deftly taken volley from Serbian striker Filip Djordjevic and a fine 25-yard effort by French midfield man David De Freitas.

A 24th-minute strike from defender Nikola Pokrivac proved decisive for Monaco in their mid-table battle at Auxerre, while second-half goals from Modibo Maiga and Gervinho secured a 2-0 win for Le Mans over Caen that enabled them to leapfrog their opponents into ninth place.

In the day's other game, Lille were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Lorient.

Second-placed Nice, the season's surprise package, lost the opportunity to close the gap on Lyon when their game at home to promoted Grenoble was called off due to a waterlogged pitch.

Last season's runners-up Bordeaux can move above Nice into second place with victory at third-bottom Sochaux in the day's evening game, but they must do without mercurial France international midfielder Yoann Gourcuff, who misses out with a thigh injury.

The game of the weekend sees fourth-placed Rennes welcome fifth-placed Paris St Germain to the Stade de la Route de Lorient on Sunday evening.

Both teams go into the game in form, with Rennes unbeaten in their last 13 league matches and PSG fresh from an impressive 1-0 victory over Lyon at the Parc des Princes last weekend.

Elsewhere on Sunday, Marseille will look to bounce back from the disappointment of Champions League elimination at the hands of Liverpool when they travel to Toulouse.

Alain Perrin is aiming to pick up his first points as coach of rock-bottom St Etienne when they visit Nancy in Sunday's other game.