Two sides currently separated by just two points in the Ligue 1 table will meet on Friday as Toulouse host Lyon at Stadium de Toulouse.
OL moved into 10th last week thanks to a 2-0 victory over Lorient, putting them two points above Le Tef, who lost 1-0 to Le Havre.
Match preview
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Just when it looked like they were gaining momentum, it all stopped for Toulouse last Sunday, as they failed to register a single effort on target for the first time domestically in 2023-24.
That put an end to a three-match winning run for them in Ligue 1 while also ending their four-game unbeaten run in all competitions.
Before their domestic defeat last weekend, Carles Martinez Novell had seen his side come back to win their previous two Ligue 1 affairs when conceding the opening goal.
Les Violets will enter this encounter on a three-game unbeaten run at home in all competitions, with their last defeat at Stadium de Toulouse occurring in league action last February versus Nantes (2-1).
Their two successive triumphs at home is one more than this side had managed in their previous 17 encounters at Stadium de Toulouse.
They have not won a competitive fixture versus Lyon since the 2014-15 domestic campaign when Stadium de Toulouse was known as Stadium Municipal, earning a 2-1 victory in an August 2014 Ligue 1 affair against them.
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After a temporary setback at home to Lens to begin the month (3-1 defeat), Lyon got back in the win column last Saturday with an impressive triumph over lowly Lorient.
Since a 3-1 loss at Le Havre in a domestic outing back in January, Pierre Sage has seen his side reel off four successive away wins in all competitions, scoring multiple goals in each of those triumphs.
Three of those away triumphs came in this competition, and another one this week would mark their first four-match winning run away from home in Ligue 1 since 2020, with Lyon taking more points on their current away run (nine) than they had in their opening nine top-flight affairs this season as the visitors (seven).
With five victories in their last six Ligue 1 affairs, Olympique Lyonnais have collected one more triumph than they had in their first 19 encounters over this domestic campaign.
Like Toulouse, Lyon have come back to win two of their previous three domestic encounters when conceding the opening goal while winning nine consecutive matches in all competitions when drawing first blood.
They are unbeaten in their last 15 encounters with Toulouse in all competitions, claiming at least a point in their previous six visits there in Ligue 1.
Team News
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On Friday, Toulouse could be without Zakaria Aboukhlal, who is dealing with a sore knee, while Denis Genreau has a groin injury, and both were unavailable for their previous encounter.
Mikkel Desler and Moussa Diarra sat out of the previous match for Toulouse and are not expected to return from their calf injuries until late March.
Thijs Dallinga saw his two-match scoring run in Ligue 1 end last weekend, while Guillaume Restes has conceded in seven straight top-flight fixtures since posting a clean sheet against Metz in mid-January (1-0).
Johann Lepenant is expected to miss this encounter for Lyon due to a sprained knee, while their leading goalscorer Alexandre Lacazette is doubtful because of a knock.
Orel Mangala could be out for the next few weeks with an illness, and Ernest Nuamah is dealing with an unknown injury, which may make him unavailable until later this month.
Goals from Nicolas Tagliafico and Mama Balde powered OL to a victory over Lorient last Saturday, while Anthony Lopes did not have to make a single stop to collect a clean sheet.
Toulouse possible starting lineup:
Restes; Mawissa, Costa, Keben; Kamanzi, Spierings, Sierro, Suazo; Magri, Gboho; Dallinga
Lyon possible starting lineup:
Lopes; Mata, O'Brien, Caleta-Car, Tagliafico; Caqueret, Diawara, Tolisso; Fofana, Balde, Benrahma
We say: Toulouse 0-1 Lyon
Both sides are in decent form at the moment, but Lyon have been a little more consistent, and we believe their overall balance and momentum will enable them to collect another three points even if Lacazette is unavailable.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
