After almost being fired earlier this season, Claude Puel has reversed Lyon's fortunes and now has a chance to lead his team to first place in the standings with a win at defending champion Marseille in the French league's biggest match so far this season.
Seven-time champion Lyon, which dropped to 18th place after seven rounds this season, has recovered from the shaky start and sits third, two points behind leader Lille.
Lille has 31 points from 17 games, one more than second-place Paris Saint-Germain, which plays struggling Monaco. Lille hosts Nancy.
Marseille coach Didier Deschamps, who guided the team to their first French league title since 1992 last season, paid tribute to Puel's work ahead of Sunday's clash.
"I have a lot of respect for what he is doing," Deschamps said. "A few months ago, there was not a single program where his future was not brought up. We do the same job, and I thought it was natural to give him my support."
Lyon's morale reached its low when the club lost at home to fierce rival Saint-Etienne for the first time in 16 years in September.
Puel's future at the club then looked in danger, with fans repeatedly calling for his sacking and even hanging banners off highway bridges and in the town center calling for the coach to go.
With pressure mounting and even players criticizing him in newspapers, Puel soldiered on and convinced Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas to give him his backing until the end of the season.
And Aulas' bet paid off: Lyon hasn't lost a game in the league since the bitter defeat to Saint-Etienne and is enjoying a 10-game unbeaten streak.
The team also showed an unprecedented defensive cohesion this season in a 2-0 win over Toulouse last weekend, at last keeping a clean sheet after conceding 31 goals in its 23 previous games.
"We sorted out our mistakes in defense," Puel said. "It's normal to have an improved level of play when you're on a good unbeaten run. The game against Marseille will be fun. They're going well despite their draw with Auxerre."
Marseille's poor run of results in the league continued last weekend as Deschamps' team was held 1-1 at Auxerre. The defending champions have failed to win their last three games and dropped to fifth place overall, four points behind Lille.
"We haven't won in our last two games and everybody are talking about a crisis at OM. This is not true," Argentine playmaker Lucho Gonzalez said.
But Marseille's bid to retain the title received a big boost on Wednesday with the signing of France and Rennes defender Rod Fanni. Marseille brought in Fanni as a replacement for injured right back Cesar Azpilicueta, who tore the anterior cruciate ligaments in his knee and is out for six months.
"I am delighted and so proud to sign for Marseille," said Fanni, who was born in the nearby town of Martigues. "There is no denying that I have come here to try and win the title, and to do well in the Champions League."
Lyon playmaker Yoann Gourcuff and Marseille forward Brandao are both doubtful for Sunday's clash. Gourcuff has not played since picking up an Achilles' injury in a Champions League game at Schalke last month.
"We'll see this week whether Yoann can get up to speed and be OK on the ball," Puel said.
Also Saturday, it's: Lens vs. Caen; Montpellier vs. Auxerre; Rennes vs. Valenciennes; Saint-Etienne vs. Arles and Toulouse vs. Lorient.
Sunday's match between Sochaux and Bordeaux could feature American striker Charlie Davies' return to action.
The 24-year-old Davies was a passenger in a car accident Oct. 13, 2009 in which another passenger died. Davies was left with two broken bones in his right leg, a broken and dislocated left elbow, a broken nose, forehead and eye socket, a ruptured bladder and bleeding on the brain.
The injuries caused him to miss this year's World Cup.
"At the moment I really feel I'm ready," Davies told the league's website. "That (Bordeaux match) was my home debut for Sochaux last season and I scored twice and I really can't think of a better way to make my comeback than against Bordeaux, in the game where it all began, and come back after over a year out of the game against one of the top teams in France. It would be astonishing to finally get my chance."
