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[monks data]
Lille
Ligue 1
Jan 24, 2015 at 4pm UK
 
Monaco

0-1

FT(HT: 0-0)
Berbatov (57')

Preview: Lille vs. AS Monaco

Sports Mole previews Saturday's Ligue 1 match between Lille and in-form Monaco at the Stade Pierre-Mauvoy.

AS Monaco will be looking to keep the pressure on the top four in Ligue 1 when they travel to face Lille at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy on Saturday afternoon.

Leonardo Jardim's side have been in fine form since December, climbing up the table with a run of 10 wins and no defeats in their last 11 games in all competitions.

They have picked up 16 points from the last 18 available in Ligue 1, leaving them four points off the top four and just five adrift of third-placed Paris Saint-Germain.

Most impressive of all has been their sensational defensive record, with Monaco keeping six clean sheets in a row and conceding just one goal - to league leaders Lyon in a cup match - in their last 10 outings. They have not conceded a league goal since November 29.

By contrast, their away form has been a little patchy, but they have won their last two on the road and haven't been beaten by a team currently outside the top half all season.

Indeed, only Saint-Etienne have amassed more points on their travels in the current campaign.

Jardim will be without Geoffrey Kondogbia, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Ricardo Carvalho, but Jeremy Toulalan could be fit to start having returned in midweek.

Dimitar Berbatov and Layvin Kurzawa were both rested for the Coupe de France win over Evian TG and will face late fitness test, while Bernardo Silva is now a permanent Monaco player and should start once again.

Lille, meanwhile, find themselves still in the bottom half and closer to the relegation zone than they are to the top four, but steadily creeping up the standings.

Rene Girard's side began 2015 with back-to-back 1-0 league victories, but fell to their first defeat of the year last weekend by the same scoreline at the hands of Lorient.

They have a good record in front of their own fans, however, winning their last five home games in all competitions and conceding just one goal in the process.

Only the league's top three have better home records than Lille, who have picked up no fewer than 22 of their 27 points at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.

Michael Frey and Simon Kjaer both picked up injuries in the last match and will not be available this weekend, while Marvin Martin and Adama Soumaoro are also sidelined.

They should be boosted by the return of Liverpool loanee Divock Origi, however, with the striker now knowing that he will spend the rest of the season in France.

Lille:

Form in Ligue 1: DWLWWL
Form in all competitions: LLWWWL

Possible starting lineup: Enyeama; Corchia, Basa, Rozehnal, Beria; Balmont, Mavuba, Delaplace, Lopes; Roux, Origi

Monaco:

Form in Ligue 1: WWWWDW
Form in all competitions: WWDWWW

Possible starting lineup: Subasic; Fabinho, Raggi, Wallace, Kuzawa; Silva, Toulalan, Moutinho; Berbatov, Martial, Ferreira-Carrasco

Sports Mole says: 0-0


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Monaco's Bulgarian forward Dimitar Berbatov (L) celebrates with Monaco's Belgian midfielder Yannick Ferreira Carrasco after scoring a goal during the French L1 football match against Toulouse on December 5, 2014
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Paris Saint-GermainPSG12102036102632
2MonacoMonaco1282221101126
3Marseille1272327161123
4Lille126421911822
5Nice1255223121120
6Lyon125431916319
7Auxerre126152119219
8Reims125342016418
9Lens124531312117
10Toulouse124351314-115
11StrasbourgStrasbourg123452124-313
12Brest124171622-613
13Saint-EtienneSt Etienne124171125-1413
14Le HavreLe Havre124081023-1312
15Rennes123271319-611
16NantesNantes122461419-510
17Angers122461321-810
18Montpellier HSCMontpellier122191132-217


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