Sports Mole previews Saturday’s Ligue 1 clash between Saint-Etienne and Lens, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Newly-promoted Saint-Etienne welcome Lens to the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in Ligue 1 on Saturday evening.
Les Verts have responded stoically to a humbling defeat last month, while Lens are in the midst of a strange streak of results.
Match preview
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It has been a whirlwind return to the top flight for St Etienne, and they have tried their best to prove the preconceptions about their survival chances wrong in recent weeks.
After an 8-0 thrashing away to Nice last month, many began to write ASSE off as relegation certainties, but their response has been commendable.
Going 2-0 down at Nantes a week later would have left many thinking a repeat of that chastening night on the South Coast could have been on the cards, but Olivier Dall’Oglio‘s side fought back to draw 2-2 instead.
Just before the international break, St Etienne were handed an excellent opportunity to prove what they can do at this level, facing Ligue 2 champions Auxerre, and Zuriko Davitashvili scored a hat trick to help them to a 3-1 win.
That means they enter this fixture having won back-to-back home games in Ligue 1, and they could make that three in a row this weekend for the first time in over five years.
Davitashvili’s treble also saw Les Verts double their scoring tally in one afternoon, as they no longer have the weakest attacking record in the division, moving onto six goals, all of which have come in their last four games.
Lens will be difficult opponents though, as they have proven incredibly difficult to beat under Will Still, and ASSE have lost their last two home games with the Blood and Gold; never before have they lost three in succession.
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Avoiding defeat is certainly possible for the hosts though, as Lens are on a remarkable run of five straight draws in Ligue 1, the longest such record since Reims drew six on the bounce over a decade ago.
Picking up points on a consistent basis is doing Lens no harm though, as they are currently up in the European positions having also won their first two games of the season.
Qualification for Europe will be the aim this season too, as the Lens fans were ecstatic on their return to the Champions League with Franck Haise last season, but devastated at losing in the qualifiers of the Conference League to Panathinaikos earlier in this campaign.
That remains their only defeat of the season across all competitions, as being strong at both ends of the pitch has proven frustrating for their opponents.
No team has conceded fewer than their four so far, and they also carry a threat in attack, especially on the road, as Lens have scored in all of their previous 12 away league games, and doing so again will see them equal their best-ever club run.
Saint-Etienne Ligue 1 form:
Lens Ligue 1 form:
Lens form (all competitions):
Team News
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St Etienne are set to remain without Pierre Cornud, who picked up a hamstring injury in the 8-0 defeat to Nice, being one of the three players who were taken off in the first half after shipping four goals in the opening 26 minutes.
The hosts are also set to be without Ibrahima Wadji (muscle), Thomas Monconduit (thigh), Yvann Macon and Anthony Briancon (both knee) too, with all four having now missed two months of action.
Lens will be missing Remy Labeau Lascary through suspension here, while a further eight players are sidelined with injury, including Martin Satriano and Jimmy Cabot due to knee issues, but Anass Zaroury served a one-match ban prior to the break and is available once more.
Jhoanner Chavez will be doubtful having travelled back from Ecuador late last week, but Przemyslaw Frankowski was given the night off in Poland’s thrilling draw with Croatia on Tuesday.
Abdukodir Khusanov had the most enjoyable international window, as the Uzbek defender kept two clean sheets to boost his nation’s chances of reaching a first World Cup finals.
Saint-Etienne possible starting lineup:
Larsonneur; Appiah, Batubinsika, Nade, Petrot; Moueffek, Ekwah, Amougou; Davitashvili, Sissoko, Old
Lens possible starting lineup:
Samba; Sarr, Khusanov, Medina; Frankowski, Thomassen, Diouf, Machado; Sotoca, Said, Nzola
We say: Saint-Etienne 0-1 Lens
Dall’Oglio was reportedly on the brink before St Etienne’s win over Auxerre, but after saving his job with that victory, this will be a much tougher assignment.
Lens may have drawn their last five games in the league, but they certainly have the quality here to claim a first win since gameweek two against one of the favourites for relegation.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.