Monaco can reclaim first place in Ligue 1 when they travel to Stade Pierre-Mauroy for a date with Lille on matchday 10 of the domestic campaign on Sunday.
Les Dogues are fourth in the table following a 1-0 win over Brest in league play last weekend, while Monaco came back to defeat Metz 2-1 but trail Nice by two points with a game in hand.
Match preview
© Reuters
Since October, Lille have begun to build up a little momentum, unbeaten in their five competitive fixtures played this month.
That has them within reach of a Champions League spot, currently trailing Paris Saint-Germain by three points heading into this weekend.
From the end of the previous domestic season into the current one, Paulo Fonseca has seen his side find the back of the net regularly, scoring in 12 successive top-flight fixtures, the longest current run in Ligue 1.
Since mid-May of last season, we have rarely seen Lille come away empty-handed from a domestic encounter, suffering just two defeats in their previous 13 league fixtures (4-1 versus Lorient and 2-1 against Reims).
Les Nordistes have been particularly sharp at Stade Pierre-Mauroy in 2023, claiming 36 points, more than any Ligue 1 side at home this year.
Lille have only lost twice to Monaco in their last eight competitive matches against them, having been beaten in six of the previous seven meetings versus the Principality club before that.
© Reuters
Down but never out has been a big storyline for Les Monegasques in 2023-24, and their resilience served them well last weekend at home to Metz.
Despite going behind after four minutes a week ago, Adi Hutter's men persevered, having now collected 11 points when conceding the opening goal this season, more than anyone in Ligue 1 to this point of the campaign, and six fewer points than they managed under those same circumstances in 2022-23.
With 20 points after nine league fixtures, it is their highest tally at this stage of a domestic campaign since 2013-14 (21), when they finished second.
Like Lille, Monaco have not had much trouble finding the back of the net domestically, the difference is Les Monegasques have done it in bunches, particularly on the road where they have netted multiple times in their four fixtures this season, scoring three or more goals in three of those encounters, while leading Ligue 1 with 23 strikes altogether.
More than half of their goals conceded domestically this season have occurred within the opening 20 minutes (7/12), though they have outscored their opponents 11-5 in the second half.
Monaco have enjoyed their share of success at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, winning more away games at Lille in Ligue 1 than anyone (14 victories in 51 encounters), beating them five times in their last eight visits to French Flanders.
Team News
© Reuters
Angel Gomes is eligible to return from suspension after missing the last domestic fixture for Lille, Samuel Umtiti seems to have recovered from a knock, though Ismaily, Hakon Haraldsson and Leny Yoro are all doubtful because of injuries.
Yusuf Yazici has scored in back-to-back competitive fixtures, putting home the only goal in their victory over Brest last week on a night when Lucas Chevalier collected his fourth clean sheet of the domestic season, while the aforementioned Turkish midfielder notched the equalising goal in their Europa Conference League victory over Slovan Bratislava this week (2-1), with the winner coming courtesy of Remy Cabella.
Cabella had a brace in this exact fixture last season, with Alexsandro and former winger Jonathan Bamba also finding the mark in a 4-3 triumph.
Mohammed Salisu and Eliot Matazo could be out for Monaco on Sunday due to groin strains, Caio Henrique will not be available because of an ACL injury, Vanderson has a sore knee, Guillermo Maripan is doubtful after getting hurt during the international break, while Denis Zakaria and Soungoutou Magassa are eligible to return from suspension.
A brace from Aleksandr Golovin enabled Monaco to erase an early 1-0 deficit and defeat Metz on matchday nine, while Folarin Balogun saw his two-match scoring run end.
Their top goalscorer this season, Wissam Ben Yedder, has a goal contribution in three of his last four matches against Lille as he, Henrique and former defender Axel Disasi all found the back of the net in their previous visit to Stade Pierre-Mauroy a season ago.
Lille possible starting lineup:
Chevalier; Diakite, Umtiti, Alexsandro, Ismaily; Andre, Haraldsson; Cabella, Yazici, Ounas; David
Monaco possible starting lineup:
Kohn; Diatta, Singo, Matsima, Jakobs; Camara; Fofana, Minamino, Golovin; Balogun, Ben Yedder
We say: Lille 2-2 Monaco
Both sides have dependable attacking threats who know how to find the back of the net, though they have each looked susceptible along the back end, which is why we project an entertaining stalemate on Sunday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Joel Lefevre
