Lens vs Montpellier prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2024-12-07 14:00.
[p]Lens’ European aspirations this season have been held back by inconsistency, as they’ve now won just three of their last 11 Ligue 1 matches (D5, L3), leaving them outside of the top-six ahead of the weekend. But after a 2-0 win at Will Still’s former employers Reims last weekend, the Blood and Gold are chasing their first set of back-to-back victories since the opening two matchdays of the season.[/p]
[p]The arrival of bottom-of-the-table Montpellier marks Lens out as hot favourites, not least because they’ve won 21 of the 44 Ligue 1 H2Hs – their highest winning percentage against any current top-flight side. The hosts have failed to win the last three however (D3), and after being beaten 3-1 by Marseille in their last home game, could suffer back-to-back league losses on their own turf for the first time since January 2021.[/p]
[p]Montpellier travel will travel with confidence though, with new manager Jean-Louis Gasset overseeing an improvement in performances and results since joining the club (W1, D1, L3). However, despite an impressive 2-2 draw with Lille in which La Paillade twice came from behind, their measly eight points  is their worst total at this stage of any top-flight season.[/p]
[p]Most worryingly, 11 of the last 12 teams with as many points after as many games were relegated, with Lorient in 2020/21 being the only exception. Montpellier therefore need to get points on the board quickly, and nowhere is there greater room for improvement than on the road where they’ve lost all six away league matches this term – only four sides have opened a Ligue 1 campaign with seven successive road defeats in the 21st century![/p]
[p]Players to watch: Lens midfielder Angelo Fulgini has directly contributed to a goal in back-to-back matches (G1, A1), whilst recorded five goal contributions against Montpellier down the years (G2, A3), but has won just two of this prior 13 H2Hs (D7, L4). Visiting captain TĂ©ji Savanier assisted his side’s opener against Lille last week, but is without a goal since the opening day of the season – an ongoing ten-match drought.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Lens’ Ligue 1 matches this season have produced a division-low average of 2.08 total goals.[/p]
[p][i]Written by Ryan Fisher [/i][/p]