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The action continues in round eight of the French Ligue 1 as Saint-Etienne and Lens lock horns at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard on Saturday. Will Still’s men head into the weekend unbeaten in their last four games against the hosts, claiming three wins and one draw since a 1-0 defeat in July 2018.
Georgian striker Zuriko Davitashvili turned in a performance of the highest quality as he scored a hat-trick to fire Saint-Etienne to a 3-1 win over Auxerre just before the international break.
Olivier Dall'Oglio’s side are now unbeaten in three of their last four matches, claiming two wins and one draw, having lost their opening three games to start the campaign.
This upturn in form has seen Saint-Etienne surge into 13th place in the Ligue 1 standings, level on seven points with 12th-placed Stade Rennais.
Lens, on the other hand, were involved in a share of the spoils for the fifth straight game as they played out a thrilling 2-2 draw with Strasbourg last time out.
With that result, Still’s men are one of just three sides yet to suffer defeat in Ligue 1 this season, having picked up two wins and five draws from their opening seven games.
With 11 points from a possible 21, Lens are currently sixth in the league standings but could move level with third-placed Olympique Marseille with a win this weekend.
Saint-Etienne vs Lens Head-To-Head and Key Numbers
- With 10 wins from the last 25 meetings between the sides, Lens boast a slightly superior record in the history of this fixture.
- Saint-Etienne have picked up two fewer wins in that time, while the spoils have been shared on seven occasions.
- Lens have failed to win their last six matches across all competitions, picking up five draws and claiming losing once since a 2-0 victory over Stade Brestois on August 25.
- Saint-Etienne are unbeaten in all but one of their last 12 competitive home games, claiming 10 wins and one draw since mid-February.
Saint-Etienne vs Lens Prediction
Buoyed by their impressive victory over Auxerre last time out, Saint-Etienne will return to action with confidence as they look to put together a fine run of form.
However, Lens have been tough to crack this season and, given their recent dominance in this fixture, we are backing them to secure the desired result.
Prediction: Saint-Etienne 1-3 Lens
Saint-Etienne vs Lens Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Lens to win
Tip 2: First to score - Lens (Saint-Etienne have conceded the opening goal in seven of their last nine games)
Tip 3: Over 2.5 goals - Yes (There have also been at least three goals scored in four of the hosts’ last five outings)
