Ligue 1, matchweek 8: five clubs at the top and four face off

Five clubs are level on points at the top of Ligue 1: Monaco vs Lille and PSG vs Lyon decide who breaks away from the pack on Matchday 8.

The round's thesis

This matchday is all about the top: five clubs share the lead on points, and four of them face each other on Sunday, Monaco against Lille and PSG against Lyon, while Paris FC visit Lens. Whoever wins those head-to-heads can open a gap on the rest of the group.

What is at stake

At the top of the table, the fight is for first place: Lyon lead on goal difference, and PSG, Paris FC, Lille and Monaco have the same points, so a winner in PSG vs Lyon or in Monaco vs Lille breaks away from the pack. In mid-table, Rennes sit just behind and host Strasbourg, who are in the bottom half. At the bottom, Le Havre and Troyes occupy the relegation zone with the worst runs in the table, and Le Mans, in the relegation play-off spot, visit Auxerre: their result decides whether they pull away from or drift closer to the two clubs below them.

This round's matches

Anchor matchPSG vs LyonSunday, October 25, 16:45

The game that closes the matchday brings together Lyon, top on goal difference, and PSG, right behind them on the same points. It is the anchor because it comes after all the other results at the top: whoever takes the field already knows what Monaco, Lille and Paris FC did. Lyon have one of the meanest defences among this matchday's clubs and win comfortably at home; PSG score consistently, home and away, and come in on the back of a good winning run.

PSG 68%

Draw 18%

Lyon 14%

Toulouse vs TroyesSaturday, October 24, 12:15

Troyes are in the relegation zone, have lost all their recent games and are among the clubs conceding the most on this matchday. Toulouse, in mid-table, score less at home than away, which keeps the scoreline open. The table points to Toulouse as favourites, but their problem at home tends to be scoring goals.

Toulouse 60%

Draw 22%

Troyes 18%

Lens vs Paris FCSaturday, October 24, 15:45

Paris FC arrive in Lens in 3rd place, well above Lens, who are 8th. The gap in the table hides the home/away contrast: Lens score more at home than away, and Paris FC score far less away than at home. It is the first game of the matchday for a club from the top group.

Lens 40%

Draw 26%

Paris FC 34%

Monaco vs LilleSunday, October 25, 11:00

Monaco and Lille are level on points in the top group, and the head-to-head decides who breaks away. Monaco are still unbeaten at home and have a solid defence; Lille have one of the hardest defences to break down among this matchday's teams and are the only one of the two yet to finish a game without scoring. A draw keeps both locked together in the top five.

Monaco 46%

Draw 28%

Lille 26%

Olympique de Marseille vs Le HavreSunday, October 25, 13:15

Le Havre are bottom of the table and have yet to win this season, while Olympique de Marseille score at home (seven goals in three games) but have won only one of those three. The game matters less to Marseille, who are in mid-table, than to Le Havre, who need points to climb out of the relegation zone.

Olympique de Marseille 62%

Draw 20%

Le Havre 18%

Every match this round

All times are Brasília time (UTC−3).

Friday, October 23

• 15:45 — Brest vs Nice · Brest 42%

Saturday, October 24

• 12:15 — Toulouse vs Troyes · Toulouse 60%
• 15:45 — Lens vs Paris FC · Lens 40%

Sunday, October 25

• 11:00 — Monaco vs Lille · Monaco 46%
• 13:15 — Angers vs Lorient · Lorient 40%
• 13:15 — Auxerre vs Le Mans · Auxerre 45%
• 13:15 — Olympique de Marseille vs Le Havre · Olympique de Marseille 62%
• 13:15 — Rennes vs Strasbourg · Rennes 55%
• 16:45 — PSG vs Lyon · PSG 68%

The first block

Friday and Saturday set up the matchday. Brest vs Nice opens the weekend between two mid-table clubs, Toulouse vs Troyes puts Troyes up against a home side that scores little at home, and Lens vs Paris FC is the first game for a club from the top group. Whatever Paris FC do in Lens carries into Sunday as pressure on Monaco, Lille, PSG and Lyon.

The second block

Sunday answers what Friday and Saturday set up. Monaco vs Lille opens Sunday afternoon and lets PSG and Lyon know whether the top group is still bunched together; Marseille, Rennes, Auxerre and Angers play at the same time and shake up the bottom and middle of the table; PSG vs Lyon, the last game of the matchday, decides whether first place stays with Lyon on goal difference, goes to PSG or goes to one of the other three clubs in the group.

Round news

No sourced team news confirmed as of the day before.

Absences

The data source has no absences recorded for any of this matchday's games so far.

Scenarios

• Monaco vs Lille or PSG vs Lyon ends with a winner, and that winner breaks away from the other clubs in the top group.
• Le Havre are still winless after their visit to Olympique de Marseille.
• Troyes leave Toulouse without scoring.
• Paris FC come back from Lens still in the top three of the table.

Ligue 1 standings before the matchday

Both teams in each game

Scenarios seen across this matchday's clubs

Each game's market favourite

Matchday Macro Index

What the market says

How the Macro Index is computed

Sources

• Official source: Ligue 1

Read also

• Ligue 1 Matchday 6: The top hinges on what happens away from home
• Ligue 1 — Matchday 7
• Ligue 1, Matchday 9: the top is bunched up and the bottom is already spreading out