Lille vs Lens Prediction: Close encounter between two European chasers

There is a big clash in the race for the top five in Ligue 1 on Friday night (20:00) as Lille welcome rivals Lens to Stade Pierre-Mauroy live on TNT Sports 2. The hosts currently occupy fourth spot and the visitors are in sixth, but just one point separates them heading into this fixture.

Both teams have experienced a mixed bag of results in recent weeks and at this stage of the season, consistency will be key for any side wishing to qualify for European football next term. Below are our Lille vs Lens predictions, accompanied by match odds and team news. 

Match Odds

Lille are valued at 11/10, or a 47.6% chance to grab the victory on Friday night. Lens can be backed at the price of 5/2 (28.6%), while the draw is available at 12/5 (29.4%). Both teams to score is 8/11 and over 2.5 goals is 10/11.

Jonathan David, Lille's star forward is the second-highest goalscorer in the league this season with 15 goals. He is marketed at 4/1 to open the scoring inside Stade Pierre-Mauroy on Friday night. Wesley Said is Lens' leading marksman in Ligue 1 with six goals to his name, and he is valued at 16/5 to score anytime.

Team News

To the delight of boss Paulo Fonseca, Lille have no major injury concerns heading into this crunch clash and this will provide the hosts a psychological boost as they look to strengthen their position inside the top four.

As for Lens, the only issue they have at the moment is that defender Abdukodir Khusanov is suspended and will be unavailable for the Derby du Nord.

Draw and both teams to score Yes @ 10/3

There is very little to separate these two great rivals heading into Friday's battle. Only a point separates them in the table and in terms of victories, it is Lens who boast more with 12 to Lille's 11. The two teams are closely matched on goals scored too. Lille have amassed 37 to Lens' 35 this term so far.

Lens may also be the visitors for this one but recent derby results are in their favour. The two sides drew 1-1 earlier in the season but Lens were victorious home and away last season, so the onus is on the hosts here to change the narrative.

With both sides having mixed results lately we think that another stalemate is in store, but it should still provide entertainment value with goals at both ends.

Jonathan David to score anytime @ 6/4

If Lille are to change their recent fortunes in this derby then it will most likely be down to their star striker David, who has been a regular source of goals this season. Only Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe (24) has scored more than the Canadian international.

He will be heading into this contest full of confidence as he has found the back of the net in his last three outings in Ligue 1, scoring four goals in the process. David is currently nine goals off his best tally of 24 goals in a season, which he registered last year, and he will be hoping that he can at least match that same figure this time around with eight games left to play.

It will be a slightly tougher ask because there are less games this season due to the league cutting down from 20 places to 18, but David will see that as added motivation to deliver in the final weeks of the campaign.