Preview: Lens vs Angers - prediction, team news, lineups

Lens have another opportunity to temporarily take over the top spot in Ligue 1 when they welcome Angers to Stade Bollaert-Delelis on Friday.

A 2-1 defeat at Lorient last weekend kept Les Sang et Or a point below Paris Saint-Germain in second, while Angers sit 12th following a 2-0 defeat away to Nice.

Match preview

Once again Lens failed to put some pressure on the reigning league champions last week, with this team dropping points on a much more consistent basis of late.

Pierre Sage has seen his side win just one of their previous four top-flight affairs, making their margin for error much slimmer as Les Parisiens now have a game in hand on them.

Three of their next four league games are at home, with Lens winning 11 of their previous 12 domestic outings at Stade Bollaert-Delelis.

In 2025-26, they have won all but one of their home games in this competition when leading after 45 minutes, losing 3-2 to Monaco in February.

With 56 points thus far, the northern French side have two more points than they had at this same stage of their best campaign this decade in 2022-23, finishing second with 83 points, when there were four more fixtures than there are now.

Les Sang et Or are unbeaten in their previous three home matches versus their upcoming opponents in this competition, blanking them 1-0 in this exact fixture a season ago.

Creativity remains low at Angers as the side with the second-lowest expected goals ratio in the league still in a slump.

Over their last five Ligue 1 affairs, this team have failed to find the back of the net four times, with only two goals scored away from home in the competition this year.

One of those goals came in their previous road fixture against Nantes in a 1-0 win, giving them a chance to claim consecutive clean sheets as the visitors for the second time domestically this season.

Alexandre Dujeux’s men could win their 10th match of the campaign on Friday, equalling their entire total from 2024-25.

Seven times this season, they have failed to score away from home domestically, suffering three one-goal defeats in those games.

Les Scoistes have lost six straight Ligue 1 meetings with Lens, five by a single goal, and on Friday, they can claim their first victory at Stade Bollaert-Delelis since 2021 (3-1).

Lens Ligue 1 form:

Lens form (all competitions):

Angers Ligue 1 form:

Team News

It is likely Regis Gurtner, Samson Baidoo and joint top-goalscorer Wesley Said will be sidelined for Lens due to hamstring strains, while Jonathan Gradit has a lower leg injury.

At the same time, Ruben Aguilar is doubtful because of an injury, as is Allan Saint-Maximin, who is recovering from a calf issue.

Odsonne Edouard could be called upon to contribute if Said is unable to go and the club’s joint top-goalscorer had their only strike in a losing effort versus Lorient.

Over at Angers, Carlens Arcus is a question mark as he is dealing with a sore groin, with Lens loanee Herve Koffi expected to get the call between the sticks once again.

Yassin Belkhdim is eligible to return from his yellow card suspension, though it remains to be seen if he will be available, as he deals with a knock.

Another player on loan from Lens, keen to make an impact for Angers, is Goduine Koyalipou, a central African striker who has yet to score for them this season.

Lens possible starting lineup:

Risser; Celik, Ganiou, Sarr; Abdulhamid, Sangare, Thomasson, Udol; Thauvin, Fofana; Edouard

Angers possible starting lineup:

Koffi; Courcoul, Camara, Lefort; Raolisoa, Mouton, Belkebla, van den Boomen, Djibirin; Sbai, Koyalipou

We say: Lens 1-0 Angers

Facing such a strong defensive unit like Lens, Angers may have a tough time finding solutions and that frustration is exactly what the home side will need to pounce with a group full of strong attacking depth.

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