As Ligue 1 resumes after the World Cup break, second-placed Lens look to continue a superb streak of results when they visit Nice on Thursday.
While the visitors won five straight games to close out the season's first phase above all but Paris Saint-Germain in the standings, their southern hosts have flattered to deceive so far this term.
Match preview
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Putting together their best run of form in the French top flight since securing the club's only Ligue 1 title, Lens concluded their schedule before the seven-week shutdown with a stunning series of victories - and they have lost just one competitive game all season.
Champions back in 1998, the northern outfit have endured several periods of struggle since then, but occupied second spot at Christmas and are five points clear of third-placed Rennes in the long-distance race for a place in next season's Champions League group stage.
Only Paris Saint-Germain have conceded fewer goals than Franck Haise's side, who had posted four consecutive shutouts at home before Salis Abdul Samed's own goal in a 2-1 win over Clermont in their final fixture of November.
Having concluded their preparations for the season's second phase with a 2-1 success against Reims last week, Lens will now aim to keep PSG within at most five points by winning at Allianz Riviera.
Les Sang et Or will then go toe-to-toe with the Parisian giants at Stade Bollaert, where they have won each and every one of their eight matches so far.
Just the second Ligue 1 team this century to win eight straight home games, Lens have been slightly less successful on the road, but their hosts on Thursday often toil in front of their own fans.
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With just six goals and two wins from their first seven home fixtures this season, an expensively-assembled Nice squad have not lived up to pre-season expectations, and such mediocre form on the Mediterranean coast sees them sitting ninth in the table.
Lucien Favre's side are a full 16 points adrift of their less prosperous visitors from the North-East, but before Qatar 2022 intervened had gone through their last seven competitive games unbeaten to rise into the top half.
Having posted a set of five wins, five draws and five losses so far in Ligue 1, Les Aiglons also qualified directly for the Europa Conference League's last 16 by topping their group ahead of FK Partizan; easing the pressure on Favre a little.
Nice concluded their winter warm-up schedule with a 3-0 reverse to Atalanta before holding Tottenham to a 1-1 draw thanks to Antoine Mendy's second-half equaliser, and now target a fast start to the remainder of their 2022-23 campaign.
After hosting high-flying Lens, though, they must travel to Rennes next Monday, so regaining their pre-break momentum may prove a tough task.
Team News
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Despite the passage of several weeks since Ligue 1 was paused, Nice resume with several players unavailable: leading goalscorer Andy Delort is set to miss out due to illness, while both Mario Lemina and Youcef Atal are sidelined by ankle injuries.
In addition, Aaron Ramsey is yet to return to action following his post-World Cup holiday, while Marcin Bulka and Sofiane Diop are also ruled out.
Pablo Rosario could therefore start in midfield alongside Khephren Thuram; Bilal Brahimi and Nicolas Pepe should support Gaetan Laborde up front.
Meanwhile, Lens goalkeeper Wuilker Farinez will be among the visitors' absentees on Thursday and must undergo a second knee operation next month, which puts an end to his season. Brice Samba continues as Franck Haise's number one, with either Jean-Louis Leca or young Yannick Pandor filling in for Farinez on the bench.
Wing-back Jimmy Cabot and striker Adam Buksa are also on the treatment table, as a back three led by Kevin Danso aims to maintain a record of just four goals conceded in seven Ligue 1 away games this term.
Nice possible starting lineup:
Schmeichel; Lotomba, Todibo, Dante, Bard; Boudaoui, Rosario, Thuram; Pepe, Laborde, Brahimi
Lens possible starting lineup:
Samba; Gradit, Danso, Medina; Frankowski, Fofana, Abdul Samed, Machado; Sotoca, Said, Costa
We say: Nice 1-1 Lens
While Lens are strong defensively, hosts Nice have been short of their best on home soil this season, so a low-scoring stalemate could be on the cards. In what could be an intense encounter on the French Riviera, both sides will aim to pick up where they left off, and a point apiece would not represent a bad result for either.
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Top tip
Jonathan O'Shea
