Reigning champions Marseille moved to the Ligue 1 summit with a thumping 4-0 win over wasteful Montpellier.

Lucho Gonzalez and Benoit Cheyrou gave the hosts a 2-0 half-time lead at the Stade Velodrome and Mathieu Valbuena and Loic Remy completed a dominant win. But it came at a cost as full-back Cesar Azpilicueta suffered a serious knee ligament injury and was ruled out for six months.

Either Lille or Rennes could have ended the day top with a win, but neither could claim three points. An own goal from Adil Rami cost Lille two points and their place at the summit as they drew 1-1 at Bordeaux.

Moussa Sow's first-half strike put the visitors on course for a result which would have seen them end the day where they started it. But Rami put the ball into his own net five minutes after half-time under pressure from Michael Ciani.

Rennes missed out on their opportunity to go top as they slipped to a 2-0 defeat at Lorient courtesy of two second-half goals. After a fairly even first half, Alaixys Romao broke the deadlock just before the hour mark and Jeremy Morel made the points safe five minutes from time.

Eric Mouloungui scored a late equaliser as Nice overcame having to play with ten men for more than an hour to claim a 1-1 draw at Monaco.

Drissa Diakite was sent off after 25 minutes for a foul on Mathieu Coutadeur and, although the visitors held out until a quarter of an hour from time they appeared to be heading for defeat as Park Chu-Young converted a penalty. However, with just six minutes remaining Mouloungui levelled with a low cross-shot.

Marama Vahirua cancelled out Loic Perrin's goal to earn Nancy a point in a 1-1 draw at home to St Etienne.

Valenciennes put some daylight between themselves and the drop zone with a 3-0 win over basement boys Arles thanks to goals from Gregory Pujol, Carlos Sanchez Moreno and Gael Danic.

The match between Brest and Lens was abandoned at half-time because of heavy snow. Referee Damien Ledentu called a halt to the game at Brest's Stade Francis-Le Ble with the score still goalless after holding talks with the two captains at the interval.