Champions and leaders Girondins Bordeaux will welcome back international playmaker Yoann Gourcuff, sidelined by a groin injury since November 18, to face Paris Saint Germain, their arch-rivals of the 1980s, on Saturday.
"Yoann has been training fully all week. He will in the squad," coach Laurent Blanc said on the club's website.
PSG will rely on midfielder Stephane Sessegnon back from suspension as they travel to Bordeaux with their morale boosted by two wins in a row including a comprehensive 5-2 victory at Boulogne in a rescheduled match on Wednesday.
About 400 police will be on duty around the Stade du Ray stadium in Nice for Saturday's match against Olympique Marseille.
Last season's game between the two neighbours was marred by incidents as Nice supporters pelted the Marseille team's bus with stones on its way to the stadium.
Olympique Marseille will travel to Nice without midfielder Stephane Mbia who is still recovering from an ankle injury.
"Stephane hasn't been able to train properly for two weeks. It would be too risky to play him on Saturday. I hope he will be back for the Champions Leaguu clash with Real Madrid on Tuesday," said coach Didier Deschamps.
Saint-Etienne have been boosted by a visit of former England and Arsenal central defender Tony Adams ahead of Saturday's game against Sochaux.
Adams, who has been struggling to launch a career as a manager, spent two days with Le Verts and attracted so much media attention that the French club had to deny he was about to join their staff.
AJ Auxerre will have to do without Polish international striker Ireneusz Jelen when they host AS Nancy on Sunday.
The Burgundy club took the field without Jelen last weekend when they were defeated 1-0 at Paris St Germain and lost the Ligue 1 top spot they had held for a week.
