The 2020-21 Ligue 1 title race keeps getting more interesting with each passing weekend, as Lille and Lyon seem to be the top options to win the crown this season. As for the defending champions, their run under Mauricio Pochettino could see Les Parisiens dropping out of the title race for the first time since the 2016-17 season.
Speaking about the leaders, Lille have put together their best unbeaten run in the season (seven wins, one draw), and if things keep their current course, we might see them as Ligue 1 champions for the first time since 2011.
Let's have a look at the main talking points after this weekend's games.
Top five teams in Ligue 1 until February 21
Lille maintained their three-point lead over Lyon in the title race, but they managed to add more points to their difference against PSG, who are now four points behind. Lille's game in hand could be crucial to their hopes, as it would increase their lead to six points. Monaco, the team who defeated PSG, also maintained their unbeaten run in the domestic tournament and helped their case by narrowing the gap between them and PSG to two points.
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Ligue 1's Top 3 scorers
Memphis Depay narrowed Kylian Mbappe's lead at the top of the goalscoring charts with his goal against Brest. That goal proved crucial for Lyon as they leapfrogged PSG in the title race. Meanwhile, Mbappé and 3rd place Wissam Ben Yedder were unable to score in the clash between PSG and Monaco, which ended in a 2-0 win for Les Rouge et Blanc.
Ligue 1 - Top headlines
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Lille on the verge of matching Ligue 1 record - With their away win against Lorient, Les Dogues managed to earn a seventh victory in a row when playing away from home. Another away win for Christoph Galtier's men would match the best tally for a Ligue 1 team since Marseille (2008-09) and PSG (2016-17).
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Marseille set woeful disciplinary record in draw vs Nantes - Les Olympiens have had their fair share of problems this season, and one of those is none other than the amount of bookings they have gathered. With Hiroki Sakai's red card against Nantes, Marseille have become the team with the highest number of red cards in all of Europe's top five leagues with eight players being sent off. If you were wondering why L'OM is currently out of European tournament spots, that number might help you unravel that mystery.
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PSG, with their worst league performance since 2011 - The defending champions might have defeated Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League, but their run in the domestic competition is nowhere near as impressive. As of now, Les Parisiens have lost more Ligue 1 games (6) in a single season since Nasser Al-Khelaifi bought the team in 2011. Added to that, Monaco pulled off a double over them, something that no other team had accomplished agaisnt PSG since Nancy in the 2011-12 campaign.
Top Ligue 1 matches to watch on February 26-28, 2021
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Dijon vs PSG - At this point of the season, PSG can't afford to drop more points, which is why their game against the last-placed Dijon is key. She current leaders will enter a game against a team currently struggling to leave the bottom half of the table. Judging by how Ruben Amorim's men have behaved, this should not represent a problem for them. Nevertheless, the away team will try to pull of a shocker and beat the leaders for the first time this season.
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Lille vs Strasbourg - The league leaders will face a team just six points away from relegation spots. Nevertheless, things could get complicated for them after their UEFA Europa League clash against Ajax, where they need a win to survive. Hence, a busy schedule could complicate things for Christoph Galtier's men even if they clash against a struggling team.
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Marseille vs Olympique Lyonnais - The rivalry between these teams could give fans an entertaining match to watch next weekend, with Lyon trying to keep up with Lille in the title race. As for Marseille, their woes after André Vilas-Boas' departure continue, but a win here would surely come in handy in their efforts to go back to the spots that grant access to European competitions.
Keep track of all the activity in the French Ligue 1 by clicking on our dedicated website here.
