Lens vs Lille prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2023-10-07 15:05.
The games can’t come quickly enough at the moment for Lens, who have suddenly found their feet in the 2023/24 season. In mid-September, the Blood and Gold had only one point from their opening five league matches and were bottom of the table, but fast forward three weeks and they are unbeaten across four encounters in all competitions (W3, D1), top of their Champions League group and up to 15th in Ligue 1!
Manager Franck Haise described Tuesday’s 2-1 triumph over Arsenal as “one of the most memorable matches” of his time in charge, but his focus will have immediately switched to targeting a third successive top-flight victory this weekend. Aiding them in that quest, Lens’ home form is very strong, with only two league defeats from their last 27 such outings (W21, D4).
Lille will make the short journey to the Pas-de-Calais this weekend hoping to prove that their 2-0 win at Le Havre last Sunday, their first three-point haul away from home in nine Ligue 1 games (D5, L3), is the start of a new chapter on their travels. Incredibly, victory in this match would see the Mastiffs celebrating back-to-back wins on the road for the first time since September 2022!
With around 20 miles separating the two clubs, this Derby du Nord is always a fiercely contested fixture, but Lille have won only one of the last five meetings at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis (D2, L2). And with manager Paulo Fonseca being touted as a long-term option for Crystal Palace, victory here would do no harm to his future career prospects.
Players to watch: Elye Wahi scored and made one against Arsenal to follow up a goal and an assist in Lens’ last two Ligue 1 matches. Bafodé Diakité contributed an assist on Lille’s last away trip at Le Havre and also found the net last month at Rennes.
Hot stat: Lens have failed to score in only two of their last 27 home league games.