Currently off to their best-ever start to a Ligue 1 campaign, Lens have a chance to win a fifth successive encounter when they host Clermont at Stade Bollaert-Delelis.
The home side come into Saturday's fixture in second place with 33 points after 14 games domestically, while Les Lanciers are winless in four straight league fixtures.
Match preview
© Reuters
At the moment, Franck Haise seems to be pushing all the right buttons with his side, as Lens have been one of the most consistent clubs in Ligue 1 this season.
Their four-match winning run is the longest such streak for them in the top flight since prevailing in seven straight contests between February and August 1998, when they captured their only domestic title.
While it remains to be seen if Les Sang et Or can maintain this consistency in the league as the season continues, they have provided themselves with a good early cushion in the table.
They are five points above Rennes for second and an automatic place in the Champions League group stage next season.
With over a third of their domestic fixtures completed, Lens are tied with league-leaders Paris Saint-Germain for the fewest goals conceded (nine), as they have posted four consecutive shutouts at home.
Lens have only conceded three goals domestically over the past two months, with their last goal allowed coming in a 2-1 triumph over Angers last Saturday.
Should they emerge victorious this weekend, Les Sang et Or would become just the second team in Ligue 1 this century to win eight consecutive home games, following in the footsteps of PSG, who managed to do that in 2017-18 and 2018-19.
© Reuters
Clermont could only manage one goal last weekend for a fourth successive contest, collecting a single point for the third time over that stretch.
When Pascal Gastien's men can score multiple times, things usually turn out well for them, with four of their five victories in Ligue 1 this season coming when they had more than a single goal.
Even though they are winless in four straight league fixtures, they have not lost away from home since the end of August, conceding a goal or fewer against Strasbourg, Ajaccio, Monaco and Nantes.
They had multiple opportunities to beat Montpellier last Sunday, firing seven efforts on target while also missing two penalties, becoming the first team in Ligue 1 or 2 to miss multiple spot kicks since February 2018, when Caen missed twice from 12 yards away against Rennes.
Not only did they miss a pair of penalties last week, but Clermont also conceded one in the opening 10 minutes, which was converted.
They have allowed seven penalty kicks this season, which is second only to Bundesliga side Bochum (nine) in the top five European leagues.
Historically, they have never beaten Lens in this competition, with their only two meetings against them happening last season with the visitors squandering a 1-0 lead before eventually losing 3-1 in this exact fixture.
Team News
© Reuters
Wesley Said and Facundo Medina had the goals for Lens in their victory over Angers last Saturday, while Brice Samba has not conceded at home since the end of August when his side defeated Lorient 5-2.
Goals from Kevin Danso, Florian Sotoca and Massadio Haidara helped Les Sang et Or erase a 1-0 deficit at home to Clermont last season, while Lois Openda is fourth in Ligue 1 scoring, having found the back of the net seven times.
Jimmy Cabot remains out with a sore knee, Adam Buksa should be recovered from his ankle injury at the end of November and Massadio Haidara missed their match against Angers because of a yellow card suspension.
Komnen Andric picked up his fourth goal of the season for Clermont in their draw with Nantes, though he and Grejohn Kyei each missed from the penalty spot.
Elbasan Rashani had the only goal in their previous fixture versus Lens, while Yohann Magnin and former striker Mohamed Bayo scored in a 2-2 draw at home against them last season.
Mehdi Zeffane is nursing a sore calf, Maxime Gonalons has a problem with his thigh, while Brandon Baiye and Neto Borges are expected to miss this match because of knee injuries.
Lens possible starting lineup:
Samba; Medina, Danso, Gradit; Machado, Onana, Fofana, Frankowski; Costa, Sotoca; Openda
Clermont possible starting lineup:
Diaw; Ogier, Wieteska, Seidu; Bela, Gastien, Magnin, Diallo; Khaoui; Andric, Allevinah
We say: Lens 2-1 Clermont
Les Lanciers have shown plenty of poise on the road so far this season, much more than on home soil, but their quality in the attacking third of late has let them down.
Given the form that Lens are currently in, we are tipping the scales in favour of the home team, who have been sharp defensively and in the attacking third.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
