A team widely expected to be fighting relegation this season faces Ligue 1's basement boys this Sunday afternoon as Lens welcome Dijon to the Stade Bollaert-Delelis.

Franck Haise's side played out their third top-flight draw in a row against Reims last time out, while Dijon's losing run continued against 19th-placed Nimes.

Match preview

Many supporters would have billed this as a bottom-of-the-table clash before a ball was kicked this season, but Lens continue to defy expectation and a spot in Europe is well within their reach amid a truly spectacular campaign.

Haise's side are not winning as many games as they would have hoped - with only two victories from their last nine outings in Ligue 1 - but they have been helped by the equally underwhelming form of most teams around them, and fifth-placed Rennes are only one point clear of Lens, albeit having played a game fewer.

Lens have managed to navigate February unbeaten so far, although all three of their league fixtures this month have ended with the spoils shared, as 2-2 and 0-0 stalemates with Marseille and Rennes preceded a 1-1 draw with Reims last Saturday, during which Florian Sotoca cancelled out Arber Zeneli's opener.

However, Lens were fortunate that Gael Kakuta's penalty miss - his second in the space of a month - did not come back to haunt them, but Sang et Or now have a prime opportunity to return to winning ways against the league's whipping boys Dijon.

That being said, Lens' home form this term has been mixed to say the least; Haise's men have won four, drawn four and lost four at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis this season - scoring 17 and conceding 17 - and victory over Dijon would end a four-game winless streak on familiar territory for the newly-promoted side.

The early signs were promising for Dijon under David Linares, but the 45-year-old has now overseen a six-game losing run across all competitions and must be fearing for his future in the Hiboux hotseat.

There was no shame in coming up second best against Lille, Montpellier HSC and Lyon, but Dijon failed to take the opportunity presented to them against fellow relegation candidates Nimes, and a 2-0 defeat to the 19th-placed side would have caused a large portion of the fanbase to lose hope of a survival push.

Renaud Ripart and Niclas Eliasson got the goals which condemned Les Hiboux to a fifth straight defeat in the top flight, and Nimes moved three points clear of bottom-placed Dijon - who have played a game more - with that win, and eight points now separate Linares's men from safety after Lorient's sudden revival.

Failure to take maximum points from this encounter with Lens would extend Dijon's winless streak across all competitions to 10 matches, although their only two triumphs this season have come on the road, and Les Hiboux have found the back of the net in six of their last eight away matches.

Lens came up trumps 1-0 in the reverse fixture with Dijon back in November, but the hosts have not overcome Les Hiboux on their own turf since the 2008-09 Ligue 2 campaign, with the last four at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis ending in draws.

Lens Ligue 1 form: WLWDDD
Lens form (all competitions): LWDDWD

Dijon Ligue 1 form: DLLLLL
Dijon form (all competitions): LLLLLL

Team News

Lens' medical room is almost empty at the minute, with striker Ignatius Ganago - who is thought to have a slim chance of recovering for the weekend - the only concern with a muscular problem.

Sotoca is untouchable up top, but Paris Saint-Germain loanee Arnaud Kalimuendo will hope to force his way into the attack over Simon Banza.

Further changes are unlikely on the hosts' end, but Yannick Cahuzac and Issiaga Sylla will aspire to start this game too.

Dijon have two suspensions to work around for this game, as Mama Balde is banned for an accumulation of bookings while Frederic Sammaritano will sit out after being sent off against Nimes.

Moussa Konate could fill the void up top in Balde's absence, although Aboubakar Kamara could alternatively be moved further forward and Eric Ebimbe brought back in to the team.

Fouad Chafik and Roger Assale remain sidelined through illness and injury respectively, while Yassine Benzia's hand injury will also keep him out of this game.

Lens possible starting lineup:
Leca; Medina, Bade, Gradit; Clauss, Fofana, Doucoure, Sylla; Kakuta; Sotoca, Kalimuendo

Dijon possible starting lineup:
Racioppi; Boey, Manga, Coulibaly, Muzinga; Ndong, Lautoa; Ebimbe, Celina, Chouiar; Kamara

We say: Lens 2-0 Dijon

Dijon's abysmal losing run must end at some point if they are to ignite a late charge for survival, but their chances of victory this weekend are extremely slim. Lens are not exactly a force to be reckoned with at home, but Sang et Or are in good shape fitness-wise and could break into the top five if other results go their way, so a win for the hosts is the only outcome that we can see.

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