Preview: Lens vs. Lyon - prediction, team news, lineups

Domestically, Les Sang et Or are just a point behind Reims for fifth after defeating Clermont 3-0 last Saturday, while L'OL remained at the bottom of the table, losing 2-0 versus Lille.

Match preview

Their visit to North London on Wednesday was uneventful to say the least as Lens dropped to third in their Champions League group with a 6-0 defeat at Arsenal, their heaviest loss in a European match.

After suffering such a comprehensive defeat, focusing on the league might be the best medicine for this side, especially seeing as they are just a point out of a European place next season and are unbeaten in eight successive league fixtures.

Domestically, Franck Haise has steered his side back on course following a subpar opening to the campaign, which saw them claim just one point from their first five matches.

Lens conceded 11 goals in the opening five matchdays of the new domestic campaign, but the best defensive unit in the French top-flight a season ago seem to be back to their old selves, posting five successive clean sheets in this competition.

If they can keep Les Gones off the scoresheet this weekend, Lens would equal their longest Ligue 1 run without conceding since February-April 1998, when they won this competition for the first and only time.

Their 1-0 victory over Lyon in this exact fixture last season ended a six-match home winless run for this club against them in the French top-flight.

Les Sang et Or may have been disastrous in their previous Champions League fixture, but that word would seem to accurately describe how the domestic campaign has gone for Lyon thus far.

With a mere seven points after 12 domestic fixtures, it is by far their worst start to a Ligue 1 campaign this century, with this team claiming just a single victory thus far.

That triumph came in their previous away fixture when they edged Rennes 1-0, their first victory outside of Lyon in the top-flight since April 28 of last season (2-1 win over Strasbourg).

At the moment, relegation is looking like a real possibility, with 15 Ligue 1 clubs previously being in the exact same predicament as Lyon currently find themselves, only four of whom avoided descent into Ligue 2.

Things may appear bleak for a club that has not finished in the bottom half of the table since 1995-96 (11th), but Fabio Grosso's men are showing some minor signs of life, with points in two of their previous three domestic affairs.

Les Gones meanwhile have only suffered one defeat in their previous eight matches against Lens across all competitions, including four victories and two draws in their last seven visits to Stade Bollaert-Delelis.

Lens Ligue 1 form:

D

D

W

D

W

W

Lens form (all competitions):

W

D

L

W

W

L

Lyon Ligue 1 form:

L

D

L

D

W

L

Advert - content below:

Team News

On Saturday, Lens will be without Elye Wahi after he was red-carded against Clermont, while Oscar Cortes is back in training after previously suffering a thigh injury.

Wuilker Furinez is also back training with the team, while Jimmy Cabot is nearing a return very soon, with both previously suffering ACL injuries.

Before his expulsion, Wahi notched the winner for Lens on matchday 13, before Adrien Thomasson and Wesley Said gave them some insurance and Brice Samba collected his fifth successive clean sheet.

Johann Lepenant will not be available for Lyon until February at the earliest due to a sprained knee, while Corentin Tolisso may be a couple of weeks away from returning after sustaining a calf injury.

A 67th-minute strike by Jake O'Brien gave them a 1-0 victory in their previous domestic away fixture, with Anthony Lopes stopping two shots for the clean sheet.

The last time they faced Lens in Ligue 1, L'OL came away with a 2-1 victory as Alexandre Lacazette and Rayan Cherki each found the back of the net.

Lens possible starting lineup:

Samba; Gradit, Khusanov, Medina; Aguilar, Diouf, Abdul Samed, Frankowski; Thomasson, Sotoca; Said

Lyon possible starting lineup:

Lopes; Kumbedi, Diomande, O'Brien, Henrique; Akouokou, Caqueret, Diawara; Cherki, Lacazette, Moreira

We say: Lens 1-0 Lyon

As bad as it was for them at Arsenal this week, Lens have shown the ability to pick themselves up after a disappointing result, while their defensive shape has improved tremendously versus French opponents.

There have been a few positive takeaways for Lyon in recent matches, but not enough for us to believe their attacking quality has improved, with Les Gones tied for the fewest goals scored in Ligue 1 to date (nine).

Previews by email