There were mixed results for the teams in the top part of the table, and as a result, some shakeups in the standings. PSG continued their steady march towards the Ligue 1 title with a crucial win over last season's title winners, Lille, while Christophe Galtier, who managed Lille during their title winning season, saw his new team, Nice, continue their brilliant start to the campaign. And there were plenty of milestones set for several players during last weekend's batch of matches.
Here's all you need to know following this weekend's Ligue 1 action.
Top five teams in Ligue 1 up to November 1
Here's how the table looks after last weekend's matches
Who are top three goalscorers in Ligue 1?
Here's how the race looks for the title of top goalscorer in Ligue 1
Top Ligue 1 headlines, stats, and other facts
Veteran Jimmy Briand continues to lead by example: Bordeaux have had a difficult time this season, and heading into their clash against Reims at the weekend, Les Girondins were on a five match winless streak, and had picked up just four points during that run. Briand's brace, including the game winner, means that the 36-year-old is the first player to score in 17 different Ligue 1 seasons since Bernard Zénier did so during the 1990/91 campaign.
Andy Delort keeps on scoring for Nice: The 30-year-old, who was born in France, but plays his international football for Algeria, probably wasn't exactly a household name before this season. However, his form has certainly gotten a lot more attention lately, especially considering how well Nice have been playing this year. Delort was on target once again, scoring a brace to help Nice come from 1-0 down to ultimately secure a win over Angers, and in doing so, is only second behind none other than Kylian Mbappe in terms of goals scored since the 2018/19 season. Of course, Mbappe's 83 is nearly double Delort's 44, but it's still a noteworthy achievement nonetheless.
Another young star in the making? 19-year-old Arnaud Kalimuendo may not have have been able to help his current team, Lens, from falling to a 2-1 loss to Lyon, but his goal, which turned out to be a consolation, brings his total to ten in the top flight. That makes him the youngest, after Kylian Mbappe to reach such a milestone.
Top Ligue 1 matches: November 5 - November 7, 2021
Lens vs Troyes: Lens have arguably been one of the surprise packages so far this season. Franck Haise's team finished in seventh last time around, but this term has seen them recently battling for a Champions League berth as they were in second spot for about a month, starting from September. However, two losses in their last five games, the most recent a 2-1 reversal to Lyon, have seen them now slide back down into fourth, and it will be interesting to see how they recover when they kick off round 13 with a home clash against Troyes.
Bordeaux vs PSG: Now that they've finally ended their winless streak thanks Briand's heroics in the second half, Vladimir Pektovic's squad will now face an even sterner test with PSG arriving on Saturday. It surely will be an uphill battle for the hosts, who have picked up just 12 points so far and sit in 16th spot, just three points away from the drop zone, while PSG continue to chug along with 31 points and a very comfortable eight point lead over the chasing pack.
Marseille vs Metz: Currently in third spot, Marseille are just one point behind Nice and one ahead of Lens, making the race for second starting to get a lot more interesting. It's safe to say that Les Olympiens will want to make sure they continue to keep pace as they welcome a Metz side who are looking like early contenders for relegation, with just one win so far this season.
Nice vs Montpellier: Les Aiglons continue to soar under Christophe Galtier's leadership, and one year after winning the Ligue 1 title with Lille, he'll certainly be hoping to do the same with his new club. Of course, there's a lot of ground to make up between themselves and PSG, but Nice could certainly do their part by ensuring they secure a win over Montpellier.
Make sure you don't miss out on these key games and stay on top of all the action by checking out our bespoke Ligue 1 match page.
