- 1 Le Mans vs Lorient: 16 years on, the two clubs meet again in the top flight
- 2 Le Mans: unbeaten at home, but unable to turn leads into wins
- 3 Lorient: no away goals conceded and the league’s best interception numbers
- 4 Ligue 1 prediction Le Mans vs Lorient
- 5 First, a word on our free picks
- 6 No commitment from us
- 7 Information changes
- 8 Your role
- 9 Responsible gambling first
- 10 Legal age
- 11 About the visuals…
Le Mans vs Lorient: 16 years on, the two clubs meet again in the top flight 
Le Mans and Lorient have not faced each other in Ligue 1 since 2010. The Sarthe club’s promotion this summer has put this fixture back on the calendar.
Both sides come in with the same recent memory: a 2-2 draw on matchday four. Le Mans shared the points with Lens, while Lorient did the same at home to Toulouse.
The table, though, has them separated by two points, with five for the Merlus and three for Le Mans, who sit 14th. Neither side has yet strung together two wins.
Kick-off is set for Saturday 19 September at 20:45 Paris time at the Stade Marie-Marvingt. The game is live on Ligue 1+ and DAZN.
Le Mans are playing their first season in the top flight since 2009-2010. Lorient, meanwhile, are back in Ligue 1 with the stated aim of staying there this time.
The numbers point to two very different profiles: Le Mans play some football but leak goals, while Lorient are compact and struggle to score. Matchday four also saw Lorient throw away a two-goal lead.
Lorient’s last league trip to their Sarthe neighbours dates back to 2010, when they lost 3-0 at the Stade Leon-Bollee. The setting has changed since then, as has the ground.
A point on Saturday would mean Le Mans have scored in three straight home Ligue 1 fixtures on the standings, something they have not done since their final three at home in 2009. It is the kind of detail that matters for a promoted side still trying to find its feet.
Recent history between the two clubs leans strongly one way, and that is the first thing to weigh up before getting into the current balance of power.
Le Mans: unbeaten at home, but unable to turn leads into wins 
Le Mans have three points after four games, the return from three draws and a defeat. The newcomers still have not won in Ligue 1.
The pattern keeps repeating: in their last two league outings, they have let four points slip after going in front. Against Lens, Adil Bourabaa and Lucas Calodat struck in the first half before the game flipped to 2-2 in a matter of minutes.
Their only defeat came at Rennes, 3-2, in a match where the Sarthe side found the net twice again. Patrick Videira’s team have not failed to score once this season.
The Stade Marie-Marvingt has become a genuine base. Le Mans have not lost a competitive home match there this year, in any competition.
Four of their seven Ligue 1 goals have come in front of their own fans. So the issue is not really the attack at home.
The problem is at the back: with an average of two goals conceded per game, Le Mans have the third-worst defence in the division. That stat alone explains the lack of wins.
They are on a run of 15 home matches, across Ligue 1 and Ligue 2, with only one ending without a point. They still know how to scrap for results, even if the wins are missing.
Erwan Coles remains a doubt after a recent knock and is still not back to full physical sharpness. Bourabaa and Calodat, both scorers last time out, should start again.
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Lorient: no away goals conceded and the league’s best interception numbers 
Lorient took just one point from their first two games. They have picked up four from the next two, with a 1-0 win at Lens followed by a 2-2 draw against Toulouse.
The club scored three goals across those two matches, which is two more than they managed in their first two outings combined. The attack has clearly woken up, even if it started from a very low base.
That win at Bollaert remains the standout result of the Breton side’s start to the season. It sits inside a four-game unbeaten away run in Ligue 1.
The most telling number is at the back: Lorient have still not conceded a goal away from the Moustoir this season. Two trips, two clean sheets.
They are second in the league for clean sheets, with two, and top for interceptions per 90 minutes at 13.8. Alexandre Dujeux’s side sit deep and cut passing lanes rather than pressing high.
The downside showed against Toulouse, when a two-goal lead vanished. Ibrahima Balde and Noah Mbamba had scored, both opening their accounts for the season after arriving on loan.
It is not a one-off either, as the Merlus have failed to win two of their last four league games despite scoring first. Seeing out matches remains their obvious weakness.
Bandiougou Fadiga is still out with a hamstring injury, while Mohamed Bamba is also still struggling physically. Lorient also go into this one having won five of their last six meetings with Le Mans in all competitions.
Expected Le Mans XI: Hatfout; Boisse, Yohou, Voyer; Bretelle; Bamba, Bourabaa, Vercruysse, Calodat; Mafouta, Diallo
Expected Lorient XI: Mvogo; Sylla, Talbi, Adjei; Le Bris, Cadiou, Mbamba, Kouassi; Kone, Makengo; Balde
Ligue 1 prediction Le Mans vs Lorient
Our prediction: Draw or Lorient win (double chance)
Lorient have not conceded a single goal in their two away games this season and are unbeaten in four straight trips in Ligue 1. Le Mans, by contrast, are still without a win and are giving up two goals a game.
The historical edge also points the same way, with five Breton wins in the last six meetings between the two clubs. Le Mans have also shown in their last two outings that scoring first has not been enough to hold on.
The one argument against backing the away side outright is the Stade Marie-Marvingt, where the promoted club remain unbeaten and have scored four of their seven goals. That is reason enough to avoid a straight away win, but not to turn away from Lorient.
Lorient leave the Stade Marie-Marvingt with at least a point.
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