Preview: Lille vs Le Havre - prediction, team news, lineups

Lille Olympique Sporting Club host Le Havre Athletic Club at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Villeneuve-d'Ascq in Ligue 1 on Saturday.

Davide Ancelotti's bright start at the top of the Ligue 1 table was ended by a 1-2 defeat at Nice last time out, and he will look to his side to respond at home against a Le Havre team that have not won in five league games this season.

Match preview

Ancelotti, appointed in June 2026 to replace Bruno Genesio, won three and drew one of his opening four league matches in charge, a run that briefly took Lille top of Ligue 1.

That form unraveled at the Allianz Riviera on September 20, where Lille suffered a 1-2 defeat at Nice, their first loss of the season.

Lille sit fourth in Ligue 1 with 10 points from five matches, having won three, drawn one and lost one, scoring eight goals and conceding four.

Olivier Giroud, who turned 40 on September 30, set the tone for the Ancelotti era by scoring in the opening-day win over Angers, becoming Ligue 1's fifth-oldest goalscorer of the modern era in the process, and he signed a new one-year contract in June to extend his Lille career.

Lille's transfer business reshaped the squad further in the close season, with teenage midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi sold to Manchester City for a reported €95m and winger Matias Fernandez-Pardo moving to Newcastle United for around €60m, while incoming additions included forward Ayase Ueda from Feyenoord, winger Basar Onal from NEC Nijmegen and midfielder Mads Kjaergaard from Red Bull Salzburg.

Ethan Mbappe, younger brother of Kylian, has been a regular feature under the new coach and will hope to continue combining with Hakon Arnar Haraldsson in behind Giroud.

Lille have also returned to the Champions League this season, losing 2-3 at home to Real Betis on matchday one, and Ancelotti must balance Saturday's game against the backdrop of a trip to Arsenal in that competition the following Tuesday, October 13.

Didier Digard's side have endured the division's longest winless run to open the season, taking just two points from five matches to sit bottom of the Ligue 1 table.

Le Havre opened with a 0-1 home defeat to Monaco, followed that with a 1-1 draw at Lyon, lost 1-2 at home to Brest, drew 0-0 with Angers and then slipped to a 2-3 home defeat against Toulouse on matchday five.

The club have scored only four goals and conceded seven across those five matches, continuing defensive problems that plagued them for much of last season.

Digard, in his third full season in charge, signed a contract extension to 2027 in June after guiding Le Havre to survival in each of his previous two campaigns, finishing 14th last term, just three points above the relegation play-off place.

The close season brought turnover rather than reinforcement, with Yassine Kechta, Gautier Lloris and Loic Nego, regulars in Digard's side last term, all leaving the club without a fee being recouped.

Replacements have been found in Japanese duo Kaito Mizuta and Sota Nakamura, formerly of RW Essen, who both started the matchday four draw with Angers.

Lille Ligue 1 form:

Lille form (all competitions):

Le Havre Ligue 1 form:

Le Havre form (all competitions):

Team News

Ancelotti has no fresh fitness concerns to report ahead of the Le Havre visit, with Giroud, Mbappe and Haraldsson all available after full involvement against Nice.

Summer arrivals Ayase Ueda, Basar Onal and Mads Kjaergaard are all settled into the squad and available for selection, giving the Italian a near-fully fit group to pick from, though he may still rotate with the trip to Arsenal to follow in the Champions League.

For Le Havre, Digard continues to manage a stretched injury list, with goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi-Nzau and forward Felix Mambimbi both long-term absentees because of Achilles tendon problems picked up in preseason.

Defenders Stephan Zagadou, Timothee Pembele and Paul Argney have also missed recent matches through injury, leaving Digard with limited options at the back for a daunting trip to the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.

Lille possible starting lineup:

Ozer; Santos, Ngoy, Alexsandro, Perraud; Andre, Bentaleb; Haraldsson, Mbappe, Ueda; Giroud

Le Havre possible starting lineup:

Gallon; Seko, Touba, Mwanga; Jelert, Ebonog, Richardson, Ouziad; Ndiaye, Samatta; Maja

We say: Lille 2-0 Le Havre

Lille have won four of the last six meetings with Le Havre, losing only the February 2025 fixture, and they could not be beaten at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in May, when Hakon Arnar Haraldsson's early opener was cancelled out by Issa Soumare's equalizer in a 1-1 draw.

With Le Havre winless and leaking goals on the road, and Lille determined to atone for the Nice setback in front of their own supporters, Ancelotti's side look best placed to return to winning ways.

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