Lyon are having a challenging campaign in Ligue 1.

Generally viewed as one of France’s top teams after winning seven straight championships in the noughies, this year smells again of under-performance. Lying fourth in the table, eight points adrift of leaders PSG, OL look less like challengers for their first title since 2009, and more like battlers for a top three berth.

Fast forwarding to the present, last weekend, after back-to-back defeats, Lyon faced Dijon at home in a must-win game. Coach Remi Garde made the bold decision to bench Yoann Gourcuff and Ederson and play young Clement Grenier in central midfield instead, and that decision was made to look like a Eureka moment in a 3-1 win.

Grenier, a 21-year-old holding midfielder who has played for all of France’s national youth teams, has been intermittently this season by Garde, but he took his ninth appearance of the season in full gusto.

Stationed just above his back four and with his head always raised like a periscope, Grenier had a sensational shift that positioned him as the new Andrea Pirlo.

Popping passes off with left and right, using his frame to shield the ball and roll opponents at will, making the odd the mistake but then making amends with a solid tackle, and launching defence into attack with a click of his heels; Grenier was excellent.

Remi Garde: “He has simplified his game. I have spoken with him, I told him to keep it simple. Against Dijon he respected that, and his performance was technically rich and influential.”

Enjoy Clement Grenier’s midfield masterclass vs Dijon here.