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

In-form Lille will aim to tighten their grip on third place when they travel south to face Toulouse this weekend, with the hosts eyeing a push into the upper half of the Ligue 1 table.

The Mastiffs currently occupy third in the French top-flight table with a one-point cushion over Marseille and Monaco in fourth and fifth, respectively, while Les Violets sit 11th, one point behind 10th-placed Lorient.

Match preview

Winning five of their last six league games (D1) represents a strong turnaround for Lille, who had previously gone six top-flight matches without victory (D2, L4), but the run becomes even more impressive when considering the calibre of opposition faced.

Each of their last three Ligue 1 fixtures came against sides chasing European football, with away victories at seventh-placed Rennes and fourth-placed Marseille preceding a commanding 3-0 triumph over title hopefuls Lens in last weekend's Derby du Nord at Stade Pierre Mauroy.

A first-half Hakon Arnar Haraldsson strike followed by Felix Correia and Matias Fernandez Pardo's efforts after the interval saw Bruno Genesio's side score three times in a match for the first time since mid-December.

Confidence, therefore, remains high heading into this contest, with Lille targeting four successive Ligue 1 victories for only the second time this season, knowing that a slip up could see them drop out of the continental positions, given just three points separate them from seventh.

Improvement on the road further strengthens their case, as the Mastiffs have won their last three away league outings, one fewer than they managed across the previous 11 combined (D2, L5), leaving the Northmen trailing only title contenders Lens and Paris Saint-Germain in the travellers standings.

Toulouse, meanwhile, have proven competitive on home soil, losing just four of 14 league matches at their ground this season (W5, D5), although three of those defeats have come against sides currently occupying top-four places.

That vulnerability against elite opposition was again exposed last weekend at Parc des Princes, where Rasmus Nicolaisen's 27th-minute equaliser briefly restored parity before the southern outfit eventually fell to a 3-1 defeat against leaders PSG.

The setback marked Toulouse's fifth loss in eight league outings (W2, D1), leaving them in a familiar mid-table position, although not since the 2013-14 campaign have Le Tef recorded a better points tally at this stage than their current return of 37.

Carles Martinez's men, therefore, sit comfortably clear of relegation danger with a 14-point cushion over the playoff spot, while a continental push appears unlikely given they trail the top six by 11 points with six matches remaining.

Victory here could at least move them into the top half depending on results elsewhere, though recent encounters with Lille offer limited encouragement, as Toulouse have won only one of the last eight meetings between the sides, including a 2-1 defeat in the reverse fixture.

That record also leaves the hosts among the few sides yet to defeat a top-five opponent this season, highlighting the scale of the challenge awaiting them this weekend.

Toulouse Ligue 1 form:

Toulouse form (all competitions):

Lille Ligue 1 form:

Lille form (all competitions):

Team News

Toulouse are expected to remain without Rafik Messali due to an ankle problem, though Charlie Cresswell is likely to return on Sunday after a one-month layoff with a hamstring issue.

Centre forward Frank Magri continues his recovery from a knee injury, while midfielder Abu Francis remains sidelined with tibia and fibular fractures.

Santiago Hidalgo is eligible again after serving a one-match suspension, although the attacker remains a doubt due to an ankle concern.

For Lille, Moroccan forward Hamza Igamane is still recovering from a serious knee injury, while Ousmane Toure has returned to partial training following a related setback.

Osame Sahraoui has resumed full training after a two-month absence caused by a groin injury, though his involvement here remains uncertain.

Chancel Mbembe missed last weekend's derby because of international commitments linked to DR Congo’s World Cup qualification, but his absence had limited impact, given he was not included in the previous three league lineups.

Romain Perraud was the only change from the victory over Marseille, although further adjustments could occur, with Fernandez-Pardo's fitness status unclear after he was forced off with injury last time out.

Toulouse possible starting lineup:

Restes; Cresswell, Nicolaisen, McKenzie; Methalie, Casseres, Diop, Sidibe; Gboho, Donnum; Emersonn

Lille possible starting lineup:

Ozer; Perraud, Mandi, Ngoy, Meunier; Bentaleb, Bouaddi, Andre; Correia, Fernandez-Pardo, Haraldsson

We say: Toulouse 1-2 Lille

Toulouse possess enough quality to threaten Lille's impressive momentum, but their struggles against leading sides may again prove decisive.

With greater incentive in the race for Champions League places and a strong recent record in this fixture, the visitors should find a way to edge this one.

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