Preview: Lille vs Metz - prediction, team news, lineups

Lille will be looking to claim a second successive victory when they welcome Metz to Stade Pierre-Mauroy for Sunday's Ligue 1 encounter.

The hosts head into matchday eight in sixth place in the Ligue 1 standings, while the visitors are propping up the standings without a win to their name.

Match preview

Lille made an impressive start to the Ligue 1 campaign, taking 10 points from their opening four matches before losing momentum with consecutive defeats against Lens and Lyon.

They avoided a third straight loss with a hard-fought draw against Paris Saint-Germain, before they claimed their first league win in over a month in last Sunday's away clash against Nantes.

Hakon Arnar Haraldsson and Hamza Igamane grabbed a goal apiece to fire Lille to a 2-0 victory, leaving them two points adrift of the top four ahead of matchday eight of the 2025-26 campaign.

Unfortunately for Lille, they were unable to build upon that result in Thursday's Europa League game against PAOK, which saw Bruno Genesio's charges concede three first-half goals in a 4-3 loss at Stade Pierre-Mauroy.

After suffering their first defeat of the league phase, Les Dogues will have to quickly pick themselves up for Sunday's league fixture, where they will attempt to end their three-game winless home run in all competitions.

Lille boast a strong record against Sunday's opponents, having won six and drawn three of their last nine meetings, including a 2-0 success in their most recent home encounter in December 2023.

Basement side Metz are the only club yet to win a Ligue 1 game this season after stuttering out of the blocks on their return to the top flight.

The newly-promoted club have lost six of their opening eight league matches (D2), including heavy losses on either side of the international window.

Stephane Le Mignan's side went into the two-week break on the back of a 3-0 home loss against Marseille, before they shipped four without reply in last Sunday's away meeting with Toulouse, leaving them four points adrift of safety.

Metz are also the division's second-lowest scorers with four goals, while they also have the league's worst defensive record with 20 goals conceded, demonstrating that they need to improve at both ends of the pitch if they are to have any hope of avoiding an immediate return to the second tier.

They have particularly struggled in the latter stages of matches, with nine goals conceded in the 76th minute or later - more than any other team in the division in the same period.

The visitors will have their work cut out to take maximum points from Sunday's fixture, but if they can surprise Lille, it would represent their first head-to-head victory since clinching a 2-0 away win in May 2017.

Lille Ligue 1 form:

W W L L D W

Lille form (all competitions):

W L W D W L

Metz Ligue 1 form:

L D L D L L

Team News

Lille are unable to call upon the defensive duo of Alexsandro and Ousmane Toure due to thigh and knee injuries respectively.

After making several changes in midweek, Genesio is set to recall Thomas Meunier, Chancel Mbemba, Romain Perraud, Ayyoub Bouaddi, Olivier Giroud and Haraldsson.

Midfielder Andre Gomes and forward Ethan Mbappe should return to the bench after being ineligible for Thursday's defeat to PAOK.

As for Metz, Le Mignan is still having to contend without the services of Michel Mboula, Joseph Mangondo and Malick Mbaye.

Fode Ballo-Toure is set to miss a couple of weeks with a hamstring problem, while Sadibou Sane will serve the first match of a three-game suspension following his red card in the loss to Toulouse.

There are also doubts surrounding the availability of Boubacar Toure, who is hoping to recover from illness in time for the away trip.

Lille possible starting lineup:

Ozer; Meunier, Mbemba, Mandi, Perraud; Andre, Bouaddi; Correia, Haraldsson, Fernandez-Pardo; Giroud

Metz possible starting lineup:

Fischer; Colin, Gbamin, Yegbo; Kouao, Deminguet, Toure, Abuashvili; Hein, Sabaly, Diallo

We say: Lille 3-0 Metz

Metz are finding life extremely difficult in Ligue 1 this season, and after losing heavily in their last two matches, we think that they could be in for another difficult outing against a Lille side that will be desperate to bounce back from Thursday's loss against PAOK.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.