Ligue 1 preview: PSG look to bounce back in top-two clash

Paris Saint-Germain and Montpellier will do battle for top spot in Ligue 1 on Sunday, while Lyon face Bordeaux.

Carlo Ancelotti’s PSG are top by a point after only managing to take a 0-0 draw at Nice on Sunday in a match they were expected to win.

It allowed Montpellier to close the gap, thrashing Ajaccio 3-0 for what was their seventh consecutive win in all competitions.

Arsenal target Olivier Giroud was on the scoresheet in that win for Rene Girard’s men, netting his 16th league goal of the campaign.

PSG were 3-0 winners when the teams met earlier this season, and this time have the advantage of playing at Parc des Princes.

Meanwhile, Lyon will be eyeing third spot when they travel to Stade Chaban-Delmas to take on Bordeaux on the same day.

Remi Garde’s side responded to their league loss to Caen with a 1-0 win over APOEL in their Champions League round-of-16 first-leg meeting.

Lyon striker Bafetimbi Gomis (nine league goals) has been in prolific form, netting five times in his last six matches in all competitions.

Champions Lille will be out to rebound from their 5-4 loss to Bordeaux when they meet Lorient away from home on Saturday.

Eden Hazard, Lille’s top-scorer in the league with nine, will reportedly leave Stade Lille-Metropole at season’s end with a move to Tottenham on the cards.

In other matches, sixth-placed Marseille host Valenciennes looking to continue closing the gap on the top five after their slow start to the season, while Toulouse travel to Nancy.

Saint-Etienne and Stade Rennes, fifth and seventh respectively, meet on Sunday, while the league’s bottom two – Auxerre and Sochaux – will clash at Stade Auguste Bonal on Saturday.

Ajaccio will be eyeing a place further from the bottom three when they host Brest, Caen will be out to build on their shock upset win over Lyon when they welcome Evian TG and Nice hope to break their run of six matches without a win when they visit Dijon.