Saint-Etienne extended their unbeaten run to six games and consolidated their push for a Champions League place as a brace from Max Gradel gave Christophe Galtier's side a 2-0 win against 10-man Lille.
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Simon Kjaer volleyed wildly over the top in a scrappy opening half hour that saw Gradel and Florent Balmont booked for robust tackles, and Sebastien Corchia apparently felled in an off-the-ball incident.
Despite the tetchy start, Gradel should have put his side ahead when he collected a through ball and skipped around Vincent Enyeama, only to see his goal-bound effort cleared off the line by Corchia.
The home side felt that Corchia's block was made with an arm, but referee Said Ennjimi was unconvinced and gave only a corner, from which Mevlut Erdinc hammered a half-volley narrowly over the top.
Erdinc then headed another Gradel set piece straight at Enyeama shortly before half time and Nolan Roux struck an effort against the post, albeit from an offside position.
The game turned when Lille, who had made a bright start to the second half, were reduced to 10 men as Marcos Lopes saw red for wild tackle on Franck Tabanou.
With a man advantage, Saint-Etienne pressed forward and took the lead when Gradel neatly controlled a cross from the right, span away from his marker and unleashed a shot into the top corner of Enyeama's goal from the middle of the box.
Gradel then doubled his side's lead 15 minutes from time when he hammered home from close range following an indirect free kick in the Lille box.
The result brings to an end Lille's run of three straight wins in Ligue 1, and lifts Saint-Etienne above Monaco and into fourth place in Ligue 1.
Joe Sharratt
