Lens and Metz to both score in quest for top five spot
RC Lens vs FC Metz - 14/03/2021
2887
Lens will be looking to extend their unbeaten run in the French top flight to eight matches overall on Sunday when they play host to Metz at their Stade Bollaert-Delelis, and in turn, hold onto their current place of 5th in Ligue 1.
This solid sequence of results includes wins against Montpellier, Dijon and Saint-Etienne and has enabled Sunday’s hosts to hold onto 5th spot but with Marseille just two points behind them and their visitors, Metz, just three points adrift, Lens know they must keep going.
Lens have also picked up important points in draws with Marseille, Rennes, Reims and Angers with three of these four stalemates also resulting in both teams scoring while six of their last eight matches overall have also seen both teams hit the back of the net.
The hosts are unbeaten in their last three matches at home where they’ve won 5, drawn 4 and lost 4 to date this term and eight of Lens’s 13 home matches have produced goals for both teams so far in this campaign.
Lens are expected to be without defender Sylla, midfielder Kakuta and forward Ganago through muscle injuries.
Metz dropped down to 7th place in the Ligue 1 standings following their recent 1-0 loss at home to Angers last time out in the French top flight which became the visitors’ third defeat in five matches.
Earlier losses against Saint-Etienne and Strasbourg have outweighed Metz’s two wins against Nice and Bordeaux respectively and inconsistent results of late have prevented Metz from climbing up into one of the coveted top five positions in Ligue 1.
Metz’s last 12 matches overall have produced 5 wins, 3 draws and 4 defeats so the prospects of an away win here seem to hang very much in the balance, although the visitors have won four of their last five matches on the road.
Seven of Metz’s 14 away matches have produced goals for both teams and while the visitors have kept only three clean sheets on their travels, Metz have scored in 10 of their 14 away matches to date this term.
However, Metz will be without their first-choice goalkeeper Oukidja (red card) along with midfielders Nguette and Tchimbembe while forward Niane is also expected to be absent with a knee injury.
Lens therefore look to have the edge but both teams look likely to score here.
Home team
Away team
Pred
Correct score
Avg. goals
Weather conditions
Coef.
Score
Live
coef.
Fr1
343827
X
1 - 1
2.67
10°
3.44
1.91
3.44
4.15
1
-1
-1
2 - 2(2 - 1)
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