Nice take on Lille at the Allianz Riviera on Sunday afternoon, in what is likely to be a closely-contested match between two sides in the top half of the Ligue 1 table.
The hosts ran out 2-1 winners in the reverse fixture earlier this season, although they are currently lower in the standings, sitting in 10th, while the visitors are up in sixth place.
Match preview
© Reuters
Nice do not look likely to push for the European places again this season, as they sit 12 points behind fifth-placed Rennes with half of the season gone, in a real drop-off from their performances last season.
Even though Les Aiglons struggled to score goals last season, netting the second-fewest of any side in the top half, they still managed to finish in fifth place, however their attacking record has now started to cost them.
This term, the side now managed by Didier Digard have scored just 22 goals in their 19 matches, with this lack of threat in front of goal playing its part in former manager Lucien Favre losing his job earlier this month.
Since Favre's departure, there have been some signs of improvement on the front, defeating Montpellier HSC 6-1 in the first game after he was dismissed by the club, with Ross Barkley and Nicolas Pepe both bagging braces.
However, the same problems re-emerged in Nice's last match, drawing 0-0 in a trip to Reims, failing to take advantage of their clear-cut chances by not managing to score despite having twice as many shots on target compared to their opponents.
Lille are well in the mix to finish in the top five, having amassed 34 points in 19 matches, an amount that leaves them three points adrift of Rennes, and eight points off the Champions League qualification spots.
Les Dogues' recent form has been very promising, acquiring 11 points in their last five matches, the joint-second highest amount of any Ligue 1 side, conceding just two goals in the process.
Not only that, but Paulo Fonseca's side have also booked their place in the last 16 of the Coupe de France, looking very comfortable in a 2-0 win against Pau in the last round by limiting their opponents to just one shot in the entire game.
In their last ten Ligue 1 matches, Lille have lost on just one occasion, while also defeating the likes of Monaco and Lens, handing the latter opponents their only league defeat of the season so far.
As such, there is every indication that Les Dogues are a team on the up, but they will need to put in a far better performance than they did in the reverse fixture if they are to get anything from the game.
Team News
© Reuters
Nice still have a couple of players on the treatment table, with Youcef Atal set to miss out due to an ankle injury, while goalkeeper Marcin Bulka is still unavailable due to a shoulder issue, although he would have been very unlikely to start over Kasper Schmeichel anyway.
Pepe is absolutely vital for Les Aiglons, weighing in with six league goals, and he is poised to start on the right-wing, playing provider for Gaetan Laborde in attack, with Andy Delort unfavoured by the new manager.
Lille have their fair share of injury concerns, with Andre Gomes, Jonas Martin and Adam Ounas all unavailable for selection in the midfield, meaning 19-year-old Carlos Baleba could be in line to make his fifth start on the spin.
Jonathan David is Les Dogues' key man, netting on 12 occasions in Ligue 1 this season, the joint-second highest amount of any player in the league, and the Canadian is a sure-fire starter in attack, playing alongside Mohamed Bayo, who has three goals in his last four games.
Nice possible starting lineup:
Schmeichel; Lotomba, Dante, Todibo, Bard; Boudaoui, Thuram, Diop, Ramsey, Pepe; Laborde
Lille possible starting lineup:
Chevalier; Diakite, Yoro, Fonte, Djalo; Zhegrova, Baleba, Andre, Weah; Bayo, David
We say: Nice 1-2 Lille
Lille have really started to improve of late, going undefeated since the end of October, and so they should have enough about them to beat a side that have struggled to score goals for the majority of the season.
David is likely to get on the scoresheet again, in what we expect will be a close game, given that both teams are in decent form.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
