Both teams are enjoying a good season so far and games like this could be decisive. Here's the preview for Lens - Metz!
- Lens have played more matches over 2,5 goals home than away.
- Metz have the fewest matches over the total-line (9) in Ligue 1
We should expect both teams to be fresh and ready for this match, as there is some time since both teams last played. Let's have a look at how the teams are doing!
Lens form and stats
Overall Ligue 1 stats at home this season for Lens are 5-4-4 (wins-draw-losses).
Lens faced defeat in their previous match, away at Red Star (2-3). In the game before, an away victory in the Ligue 1 match versus Saint-Étienne with a 3-2 scoreline.
Heartbreak for Lens in their last match as Red Star's A. Dzabana scored the winning goal deep into overtime.
The hosts are modest favourites in this match, with the bookmakers estimating the chance of a home win at about 50% +- five percent. It's interesting to look at how Lens have performed under similar circumstances, so here are some numbers: When modest favourites like this (we found 14 games) they have won six times, drawn four and lost four.
The Lens fans would probably like to see some more goals scored at their own stadium in the league, the tally being 19 in 13 matches. On the other hand, Lens have conceded 18 goals.
Metz form and stats
The story so far for the visiting team on their Ligue 1 travels is 6 wins, 4 draws and 4 defeats. Winning streaks in away matches are not that common, but Metz are close to a proper streak after winning their two previous away games.
It's the second away game in a row for Metz, but there's smiles all around after the 4-0 victory versus Valenciennes in the Coupe de France last time out. A loss against Angers SCO was the result prior to that, in a Ligue 1 home game.
As you can tell from the results above, Metz was very dominant against Valenciennes, winning the match with a scoreline that even the finest fortune teller couldn't predict. 4-0 (!) with Youssef Maziz, Fabien Centonze, Thomas Delaine and Aaron Leya Iseka providing the goals.
Metz are the outsiders in this one, but not by much. Their performance in similar games (being the away team and moderate outsiders) is six wins, five draws and two defeats. From a total of 13 matches.
The visiting Metz have scored more than one goal per away game in the league so far. The grand total is 17 goals from 14 games. Metz are defending well in their away games, having conceded only 13 times in 14 matches. For more goal statistics, check out the Statistics tab above.
Head 2 Head
The two sides played each other earlier this season: Metz - Lens 2-0. Numbers for the last ten meetings between these two teams are: four wins for Lens, three draws and three wins for Metz. Over 2,5 goals: one time; under 2,5 goals: nine games.Top Goalscorers
  G. Kakuta 9 goals |  F. Sotoca 8 goals |  A. Muinga 6 goals |
Lens missing players
Metz missing players
| Lens | Metz | ||||||
| Total | Home | vs | Statistics | Stat | vs | Away | Total |
| 28 | 13 | 1 | Played | P | 3 | 14 | 28 |
| 12 | 5 | 1 | Won | W | 1 | 6 | 11 |
| 8 | 4 | 0 | Drew | D | 0 | 4 | 8 |
| 8 | 4 | 0 | Lost | L | 2 | 4 | 9 |
| 42 | 19 | 1 | Scored | S | 1 | 17 | 33 |
| 39 | 18 | 0 | Conceded | C | 2 | 13 | 27 |
| 96% | 92% | 100% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 100% | 100% | 96% |
| 79% | 69% | 0% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 0% | 57% | 68% |
| 54% | 54% | 0% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 0% | 29% | 29% |
| 32% | 31% | 0% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 0% | 14% | 14% |
| 18% | 15% | 0% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 0% | 7% | 4% |
| 61% | 62% | 0% | BTTS | BTTS | 0% | 50% | 50% |
| 25% | 23% | 100% | Clean Sheets | C S | 33% | 21% | 25% |
| 18% | 23% | 0% | Failed to Score | F T | 67% | 29% | 29% |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2.3 | 2.3 | 2 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 3 | 2.5 | 2.2 |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | Red cards | R C | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 11.5 | 11.6 | 8 | Shots (avg) | S ( | 6 | 9.4 | 11 |
| 3.6 | 3.1 | 4 | Shots on Target (avg) | S O | 2.3 | 3.5 | 4 |
| 41% | 48% | 25% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 14% | 35% | 29% |
- Lens have played more matches over 2,5 goals home than away.
- Metz have the fewest matches over the total-line (9) in Ligue 1
- Metz haven’t played a single 0-0 game away.
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Lille | 28 | 18 | 8 | 2 | 49 | 17 | 15 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 24 | 8 | 13 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 25 | 9 | 32 | 62 |
| 2 | Paris Saint Germain | 28 | 19 | 3 | 6 | 62 | 17 | 14 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 34 | 8 | 14 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 28 | 9 | 45 | 60 |
| 3 | Olympique Lyonnais | 28 | 17 | 8 | 3 | 56 | 25 | 14 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 29 | 12 | 14 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 27 | 13 | 31 | 59 |
| 4 | Monaco | 28 | 17 | 4 | 7 | 56 | 38 | 14 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 32 | 17 | 14 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 24 | 21 | 18 | 55 |
| 5 | Lens | 28 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 42 | 39 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 19 | 18 | 15 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 23 | 21 | 3 | 44 |
| 6 | Metz | 28 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 33 | 27 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 17 | 13 | 6 | 41 |
| 7 | Montpellier | 28 | 11 | 7 | 10 | 44 | 47 | 15 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 27 | 29 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 17 | 18 | -3 | 40 |
| 8 | Olympique Marseille | 27 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 34 | 32 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 19 | 17 | 14 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 15 | 15 | 2 | 39 |
| 9 | Angers SCO | 28 | 11 | 6 | 11 | 33 | 42 | 13 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 15 | 19 | 15 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 18 | 23 | -9 | 39 |
| 10 | Rennes | 27 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 33 | 31 | 14 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 16 | 19 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 17 | 12 | 2 | 38 |
| 11 | Nice | 28 | 10 | 5 | 13 | 35 | 40 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 16 | 25 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 19 | 15 | -5 | 35 |
| 12 | Reims | 28 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 34 | 35 | 13 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 23 | 23 | -1 | 34 |
| 13 | Brest | 28 | 10 | 4 | 14 | 42 | 50 | 14 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 29 | 25 | 14 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 13 | 25 | -8 | 34 |
| 14 | Strasbourg | 28 | 9 | 6 | 13 | 36 | 41 | 14 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 15 | 17 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 21 | 24 | -5 | 33 |
| 15 | Bordeaux | 28 | 9 | 6 | 13 | 28 | 34 | 15 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 15 | 19 | -6 | 33 |
| 16 | Saint-Étienne | 28 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 29 | 42 | 14 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 14 | 21 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 15 | 21 | -13 | 30 |
| 17 | Lorient | 28 | 7 | 6 | 15 | 34 | 52 | 14 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 21 | 26 | 14 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 26 | -18 | 27 |
| 18 | Nimes | 28 | 7 | 4 | 17 | 27 | 54 | 14 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 16 | 28 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 26 | -27 | 25 |
| 19 | Nantes | 28 | 4 | 12 | 12 | 28 | 44 | 14 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 14 | 22 | 14 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 14 | 22 | -16 | 24 |
| 20 | Dijon | 28 | 2 | 9 | 17 | 19 | 47 | 14 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 18 | 14 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 15 | 29 | -28 | 15 |