Lille’s 1-1 draw with Paris Saint-Germain was typical of recent form. Competitive and well-balanced while boasting quality performers, the bigger occasions aren’t a problem for Paulo Fonseca. It’s the details that Les Dogues struggle with. Individual errors have cost Lille points and positions over the last 18 months, but this season could yet present an opportunity for them to cement themselves as PSG’s leading rival. Having matched the champions for an hour, the Lille right-back Bafodé Diakité’s unneeded lunge on Lucas Hernández resulted in a penalty. Such mistakes have frustrated Fonseca in 2023 and his side were again punished as Kylian Mbappé neatly converted. Despite having more shots (15 to nine), a useful share of possession (41%) and greater expected goals (1.91 to 1.39), Lille trailed into injury time. However, PSG substitute Marco Asensio’s risky pass invited Jonathan David to poach a late, and deserved, equaliser. After top-four rivals Monaco and Nice both surprisingly lost to struggling Lyon and promoted Le Havre, respectively, the gap between Lille, in fourth, and the automatic Champions League spots shrunk to two points. Although a creditable draw, similar results have been a problem for Lille of late. Only PSG have lost fewer games this term but seven draws, including with strugglers Clermont, Rennes and Toulouse, have held Les Dogues back, adding to the sense of recent underachievement. Although Lille finished fifth last season, Understat’s expected points model for the campaign (based on simulations of matches using expected goals data) put Fonseca’s team top of Ligue 1. Defensive lapses cost Lille, while big chances at key times were missed in attack. This season errors have been minimised at the back. Only Nice (nine) have conceded fewer than Lille’s 12 goals in Ligue 1 while Mbappé’s penalty was the first time the young goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier had conceded in six games, part of a run of just five goals against in 15 matches across all competitions since September’s 2-1 loss at Reims. Two key changes have tightened up Lille. Having once promised to become Ligue 1’s next great prospect, centre-back Tiago Djaló’s subsequent plateauing contributed to a suspect backline before his long term injury forced the early promotion of prospect Leny Yoro. Despite only turning 18 last month, the silky Yoro plays with a subtlety and maturity of a far more experienced centre-back. Fit or not, Djaló’s spell outside the 11 is now likely to continue. With PSG, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid reportedly interested, Lille have supposedly set a €50m asking price for him. Yoro’s increasingly solid partnership with the previously wayward Brazilian Alexsandro is testament to the youngster’s caliber and Fonseca’s coaching. Despite Angers’ woeful 22-23 season, a decimated squad and turmoil off the pitch, the former Tottenham midfielder Nabil Bentaleb’s quality stood out. Although fitness has been a concern in recent years, Lille poached the now 29-year-old for €4.5m at the end of the summer transfer window. Paired with the perennially underrated battling midfielder Benjamin André, Bentaleb has added street-smarts, security and physicality to a previously gung-ho Lille midfield which often relied too much on André for protection. The Algerian didn’t start until late October but Lille are undefeated in the 11 games since, conceding only once from open play in eight Ligue 1 matches. Improved form from Chevalier has helped too. Although a series of early season errors showed his need for growth, the 22-year-old remains France’s most exciting young stopper. Despite a continued tendency to flap at crosses and some suspect decision-making, his raw ability may be finally winning out – that quality was underlined by a pair of penalty saves against Metz earlier this month. Ignoring August’s chaotic 4-1 mauling at Lorient, Lille have become one of the more reliable defensive teams in Ligue 1 this season. Fonseca’s attack, however, remains in flux. Despite a recent renaissance, veteran attacking midfielder Rémy Cabella was often to blame for missing chances and Fonseca’s midfield redesign saw the now 33-year-old drop out with Angel Gomes pushed forward from a deep midfield role. However, Understat nevertheless reports that only Lens, Lyon and Nice have underperformed their expected goals more than Les Dogues this season. Skilful but erratic Kosovan winger Edon Zhegrova has finally found his way into the side, providing four assists, but the 24-year-old continues to frustrate as well as excite. Striker Jonathan David has produced an underwhelming five league goals in 16 games, after 24 in 37 last term, equalling his worst goals-per-game ratio since his €27m arrival from Gent in 2020. Repeatedly linked with a major move away, the Canadian’s efforts often feel begrudging, clearly frustrated by his continued stay in northern France. Meanwhile, 20-year-old attacker Hákon Haraldsson’s €15m summer switch from Copenhagen has so far flopped, quickly losing his place to the similarly disappointing former Fulham attacker Ivan Cavaleiro, who’s added only one goal and one assist in 12 league outings. Having been central to the 2021 title-winning squad, versatile forward Yusuf Yazıcı’s return from loans in Russia and Turkey has proven useful but he remains typically unreliable. However, all the above have proven effective at one point recently and, in theory, Fonseca still boasts one of the deeper and more dynamic Ligue 1 attacking cohorts, if managed deftly. Under Fonseca, Lille’s quality and potential have been clear but it’s only now that those attributes are coming to fruition. With Lyon out of the picture, Marseille likely only to shine between implosions, Nice at the start of a new project and Monaco underwhelming, Lille have a major opportunity. Although the 2021 title glory remains undimmed, it’s caveated by Covid-affected gates and empty stadiums that helped rob PSG of their Parc des Princes aura. Now, however, in a more traditional setting, Les Dogues are at last well-placed to ensconce themselves on Ligue 1’s podium and keep pace with the champions for the foreseeable future. Talking points Lille’s draw with PSG proved a chance missed by the rest of the chasing pack as the champions’ point extended their lead to five. Nice were defeated for the second time in three games, having gone previously undefeated, this time 3-1 by last season’s Ligue 2 champions Le Havre. HAC, who’s impressive Ligue 1 return continues, raced into a surprise 3-0 lead before the hour via Emmanuel Sabbi’s double and a Mohamed Bayo penalty. Monaco would have moved second with a win as a result but conspired to lose 1-0 at home to a struggling Lyon. It was a crucial victory for OL, however, who jumped out of the automatic relegation spots. Having seen off Sevilla in the Champions League to make the Europa League playoff spot during the week, Lens’ resurgence continued with an 11th successive Ligue 1 game without defeat. A 2-0 win over Will Still’s Reims means only PSG have enjoyed a better top-flight record since Franck Haise’s side’s last loss in mid-September. They’re now just two points shy of a Champions League spot.