Matchday nine of Ligue 1 will be rounded off at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis on Sunday night, when early high-fliers Lens host a Lyon side on a very poor run of form.

Lens finished a point above their upcoming opponents last season, and the opening stages of the season suggest that could happen again, with Franck Haise's side just one point off a Champions League spot.

Match preview

Lens, remarkably, are currently 16 games unbeaten heading into this match, a run stretching back to early April.

Their late season form in 2021-22 was not enough for continental qualification as they narrowly fell short, but this time around they look strong candidates to challenge to be the best of the rest behind Paris Saint-Germain.

Not only are they defensively resolute, conceding just seven goals so far, the third-best in the division, they are a competent outfit in attack, averaging two goals per game so far in Ligue 1.

Facing sides like Lyon will show their true credentials to maintain their position near the top, but in other big games this season, Lens have flourished.

They have already beaten Monaco 4-1 away in the principality this season, and recorded a 5-2 success over third-placed Lorient here at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis.

Curiously, the only points they have dropped have all come against sides in the bottom six currently, but their 100% home record remains extremely impressive.

On the other hand, Lyon are in free fall, following three successive defeats.

After failure to qualify for Europe thanks to finishing eighth last season, Lyon looked in great shape to focus purely on domestic matters and challenge even PSG at the top, taking 13 points from a possible 15 to start off the season.

However, since then, when facing some of their rivals for the top spots, they have come out second-best on each occasion, losing to Lorient, Monaco and PSG.

They now find themselves out of the European places completely, and are nine points adrift of the leaders, with another tough game on the horizon.

What is also worrying, is that Lyon have the worst away record in the division so far, having picked up just one point from their three away matches, a draw against a Reims side who played half an hour with 10 men and currently sit in the relegation zone.

Team News

Manager Haise will hope he can get Wesley Said fit soon as the forward closes in on a return from a hamstring injury, as he offers great value from the bench for Lens, having notched two goals this season despite playing only a combined 110 minutes in five substitute appearances.

Defender Jonathan Gradit will remain on the sidelines for a few weeks after fracturing his collarbone in the win against Troyes, so ex-Newcastle man Massadio Haidara should continue to deputise in a back three.

This would mean Polish international Przemyslaw Frankowski may continue to operate as a left wing-back with Haidara pushed further back into defence.

Frankowski was allowed to leave the Polish camp early last week and was not involved in their win over Wales, but there have been no suggestions that an injury was the cause.

However, Deiver Machado is now back from suspension following his red card against Reims and may be another option for Haise to use on the left.

Seko Fofana is back on top form too after returning from injury just before the international break, scoring in both of Ivory Coast's matches last week to add to the four goal involvements he already has from midfield for Lens so far.

Peter Bosz decided not to risk Houssem Aouar for Lyon's tie with PSG before the international break, with the midfielder still recovering from an injury which had halted his season just as it began.

After an additional week off though, Aouar should be okay to make his first appearance in two months here in Lens.

Alexandre Lacazette appears to be fine to continue as normal despite undergoing surgery on his vocal cords during the internationals.

Bosz has often preferred playing just one in attack from the start, but he deployed Moussa Dembele from the start up front with Lacazette against PSG in a 4-4-2 shape.

Should he go back to the more familiar 4-5-1 then youngster Johann Lepenant or Romain Faivre may start instead of Dembele.

Lyon's German duo, Jerome Boateng and Julian Pollersbeck, are their only two expected absentees.

Lens possible starting lineup:
Samba; Danso, Medina, Haidara; Frankowski, Abdul Samed, Fofana, Machado; Sotoca, Openda, Costa

Lyon possible starting lineup:
Lopes; Gusto, Mendes, Lukeba, Tagliafico; Tolisso, Caqueret, Lepenant; Tete, Lacazette, Toko Ekambi

We say: Lens 3-2 Lyon

These two sides have scored 32 goals combined in their opening eight matches and have an abundance of capable goalscorers among their squads, so goals could be in high supply here.

Lens' perfect home form combined with Lyon's dreadful record on the road so far makes the hosts slight favourites though, and they may just have enough to edge this encounter.

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

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