Lens host Angers in Ligue 1 on Sunday with the two sides separated by just two points in the table after the opening 11 games of the 2020-21 campaign.
Lens have picked up four points in the past week having drawn 1-1 in midweek against Nantes.
Match preview
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After Arnaud Kalimuendo's goal proved enough to beat bottom-placed Dijon last weekend, Franck Haise's side picked up a respectable point with Nantes in midweek in what was one of their two games in hand on most teams in the league.
There was an element of disappointment regarding the result, however, given that former Chelsea winger Gael Kakuta had fired Lens into the lead in the first half, with three points looking likely until Abdoulaye Toure levelled proceedings from the penalty spot in the 81st minute.
In truth, Haise's side appeared to sit on their lead too early, perhaps due to having done so with success against an inferior Dijon side in the previous match, with Kakuta's strike proving to be their only shot on target in the entire 90 minutes against Nantes.
Lens will need to be more proactive against an Angers side who have won three away matches in a row and possess plenty of counter-attacking threat.
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Indeed, Stephane Moulin's side have picked up more points on their travels so far this season than they have at home, so will certainly test Lens' unbeaten home record.
Angers were perhaps unfortunate to lose 1-0 at home Lyon last weekend, recording eight shots on target to Rudi Garcia's side's two, and keeping last season's Champions League semi-finalists out until Tinotenda Kadewere's 78th-minute strike.
Now competing in France's top flight for the sixth consecutive season, an impressive feat for a club which was in the third tier as recently as 2007, Moulin will be looking to help Angers achieve another comfortable season in mid-table having been 10th prior to the curtailment of all French football last season due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Another away win at Lens would certainly do their chances of achieving their aims for the season the world of good, with it being possible to move as high as sixth in the table by the end of the weekend.
Lens Ligue 1 form: DWLDWD
Angers Ligue 1 form: WDWLWL
Team News
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Haise will be without Cheick Traore after the right-back ruptured his Achilles tendon, but otherwise the 49-year-old appears to have a clean bill of health to choose from.
Central defender Facundo Medina will need to be careful not to pick up a yellow card, though, as he is one booking away from his fifth of the season and a consequential one-match ban.
Moulin, meanwhile, is without Enzo Ebosse for the foreseeable future after the left-back ruptured his cruciate ligament, but like Haise appears to have no other injuries to contend with.
The 53-year-old is likely to go with the same XI which came so close to gaining an excellent point against Lyon last weekend.
Lens possible starting lineup:
Leca; Gradit, Bade, Haidara; Michelin, Cahuzac, Doucoure, Sylla; Kakuta; Ganago, Banza
Angers possible starting lineup:
Bernardoni; Manceau, Traore, Thomas, Doumbia; Amadou, Capelle; Thioub, Fulgini, Lage; Bahoken
We say: Lens 1-1 Angers
With Angers boasting a strong away record and having had more recovery and training time than their forthcoming opponents this week, we can see them nicking a result on Sunday.
Lens are a tough nut to crack at home, however, having taken 11 points and remained unbeaten from their five home games so far this season.
Top betting tip
Brett Curtis
Data Analysis
Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a Lens win with a probability of 43.76%. A win for Angers had a probability of 28.54% and a draw had a probability of 27.7%.
The most likely scoreline for a Lens win was 1-0 with a probability of 12.82%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 2-1 (8.57%) and 2-0 (8.48%). The likeliest Angers win was 0-1 (9.81%), while for a drawn scoreline it was 1-1 (12.96%). The actual scoreline of 1-3 was predicted with a 2.2% likelihood.
