Lyon in the driving seat for sixth title in a row

Olympique Lyon are once again blazing a trail at the top of Ligue 1 as their rivals struggle to keep pace with the champions.

Gerard Houllier's side have already opened up an 11-point gap in their quest to secure a record sixth consecutive French title.

John Carew's first-half goal sealed a 1-0 win over Nancy on Sunday - Lyon's ninth win in a row, while second placed Olympique Marseille slumped to a last-gasp 2-1 defeat at Nice.

"Eleven points (over Marseille)? Yes, it seems big but I am mostly proud of what the team has been doing for the past three months," Houllier told the club's website yesterday.

Houllier was not getting carried away though, adding: "We have played three months and there are seven more to come."

Marseille were clinging on to Lyon's coat tails until they were thrashed 4-1 at home by the champions on October 22.

Last season's other frontrunners are also finding the going tough. Runners-up Girondins Bordeaux are already 13 points off the pace, as are Lille.

Lyon's domestic form has been replicated in the Champions League with three successive wins leaving them on the verge of qualification to the knockout rounds.

With a strong defence marshalled by Brazilian centre-back Cris, an impressive midfield with match-winner Juninho, Portugal's Tiago and French international Jeremy Toulalan and Florent Malouda, Lyon have the best team in France.

They also boast strength in depth with Norway's Carew, U-21 international Karim Benzema, France midfielder Alou Diarra and Sweden midfielder Kim Kallstrom forming a strong bench.

Next weekend, Lyon will target a 10th consecutive Ligue 1 victory when they travel to 15th-placed Stade Rennes. Should they win, they would emulate arch-rivals St Etienne, who won 10 matches in a row in the 1969/70 season.

Bordeaux, in the 1953/54 season, and Stade Reims, in the 1948/49 season, have also achieved this feat.