Marseille coach Didier Deschamps is relieved his team will determine its own destiny after having overtaken Lille at the top of the French league.
Defending champion Marseille moved into first place on Wednesday after a 4-2 home win against Nice, profiting from Lille's unexpected slump that has seen its title rival pick up just two points from three matches.
"We have six matches left. I would rather be ahead than chasing," Marseille coach Didier Deschamps said. "We no longer have to rush around and hope that others drop points."
Marseille hosts struggling Auxerre at home on Sunday and Lille is at home to last-place Arles-Avignon on Saturday.
Marseille remains on course for a another double, having successfully defended its League Cup title last weekend.
The recent surge in form, coupled with Lille's dip, means Deschamps can further cement his place in Marseille folklore.
He was the captain when Marseille won the Champions League in 1993 - the only French club ever to do so - and coached the club to success in his first season when he took over from Eric Gerets two years ago.
Fans chanted Deschamps' name at the end of Wednesday's match at Stade Velodrome, but the former France midfielder gave only a small wave in response. He has not forgotten how the supporters chanted for his predecessor's return in the final match before the winter break, when Marseille was in fifth place and trailed Lille by six points.
"I prefer to hear that than the 'Gerets, Gerets' chants on December 23rd," Deschamps said.
Deschamps has managed to eke out results when his team has not played well and key players have not performed. He also made the bold decision to leave Argentine playmaker Lucho Gonzalez on the bench against Nice.
While Gonzalez's erratic form has finally forced Deschamps to drop the player he credited with inspiring last season's title run, the coach has invested his trust in Ghana winger Andre Ayew with spectacular results.
The 21-year-old Ayew has hit winning goals away to Toulouse and Nancy, scored in a crucial home win against bitter rival Paris Saint-Germain and grabbed his first career hat trick in Wednesday's win against Nice.
Ayew's performances this season have drawn high praise, with Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson saying he was immensely impressed with the player's performance against his team in the Champions League in February.
Deschamps totally overlooked Ayew last season, sending him out on loan to the second division. Only after talks during the offseason with Ayew's father, the former African Player of the Year Abedi Pele, did Deschamps bring him back.
"I wasn't here to experience the title last year," said Ayew, who has scored nine league goals so far. "I want to be a champion with the club that made me."
With Lille out of sorts, third-place Lyon could now emerge as Marseille's toughest challenger.
Claude Puel's Lyon team is five points behind Marseille after beating Montpellier 3-2 on Wednesday, thanks to a last-minute goal from Yoann Gourcuff.
Gourcuff, once tipped as the natural successor to Zinedine Zidane when he broke into the France team three years ago, has been so poor recently that Puel finally dropped him.
Gourcuff responded by coming off the bench to slam home the winner against Montpellier, a goal Lyon fans will hope finally spark a return to the form he showed when leading Bordeaux to the title three seasons ago.
"It was touching to see all the players rushing over to me after I had scored," Gourcuff said. "Obviously (I was) a bit disappointed (to be dropped) but Lyon has a lot of quality players."
Lyon plays at Toulouse on Sunday, but could be without captain Jeremy Toulalan. He hurt his knee against Montpellier.
In Saturday's other matches, it is: Lens vs. Lorient; Rennes vs. Bordeaux; Sochaux vs. Nancy, and PSG vs. Valenciennes.
Also Sunday, it is: Montpellier vs. Brest; Nice vs. Caen, and Saint-Etienne vs. Monaco.
