Lens vs Rennes Predictions

Lens have enjoyed nine straight Ligue 1 successes at home and they should be backed to continue that run when Rennes visit on Saturday.

They are second in Ligue 1, four places and 15 points above Rennes, with 15 wins, one draw and four defeats. Rennes are sixth having won eight, drawn seven and lost five of their 20 games this season. This season, 22 (52%) of the 42 games between teams in the top half of the table have been home wins.

Lens kept up their recent winning trend with a 1-0 win over Le Havre last Friday, making it ten wins in the 11 matches in which they have been odds-on this season.

The hosts are on a roll. Lens have been winners in 13 of their last 16 Ligue 1 games and have gone nine home games unbeaten.

They have been impressive defensively this season, conceding just four goals in ten home games – an average of 0.40 goals per game. No other team has conceded fewer goals in Ligue 1 this term than Lens’ 16 in 20 games.

It would be a surprise if Lens failed to score. They have scored two or more goals in 12 of their 20 league games this season and have averaged 1.80 goals a game in their five home matches against other top-half teams.

The hosts have been solid home favourites. Lens have got the win in the last six Ligue 1 home games in which they were odds-on.

Rennes have been struggling for results lately, with their last two Ligue 1 games ending in defeat and no victories in the last three.

The Rennes defence has been far from solid of late. The visitors have failed to keep a clean sheet in six of their last eight league games, and have conceded 20 goals on the road this season – an average of two per game from ten away matches.

Lens may be able to edge out Rennes in a close game, with a 2-1 home win the correct-score pick. Twelve of Lens’ 20 Ligue 1 matches this season have gone over 2.5 goals and nine of their games have been won by a single goal.

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Edited by Mark Langdon