- 1 Lyon vs Le Havre: OL have to bounce back three days after European exit
- 2 Lyon: effective rotation at Toulouse, but a squad still rattled by the exit
- 3 Le Havre: no goals scored and a mess to sort out in goal
- 4 Ligue 1 Prediction Lyon vs Le Havre
- 5 First, a word on our free predictions
- 6 No commitment from us
- 7 Information can change fast
- 8 Your role
- 9 Responsible gambling first
- 10 Legal age
- 11 About the images…
Lyon vs Le Havre: OL have to bounce back three days after European exit 
OL host Le Havre on Saturday 29 August at 20:45 at Groupama Stadium, just three short days after their 1-2 home defeat to Fenerbahce in the Champions League playoff. It is a brutal turnaround, with barely any time to recover, let alone shake off the disappointment.
Paulo Fonseca is therefore expected to rest several regulars and tweak his starting XI. The depth of his squad could prove vital in this spot.
In the league, Lyon have three points after their 2-0 win at Toulouse and sit fourth with a goal difference of +2.
Le Havre have not got off the mark yet. HAC lost 0-1 at home to Monaco on Sunday 23 August, with Eric Dier striking in the 14th minute.
No goals scored, no points on the board: the Normandy club sit 14th in the table. Their goal difference is -1.
The overall balance of power still leans towards Lyon, but physical freshness could at least narrow the gap. OL come into this off a high-intensity European playoff and a defeat that will sting, while HAC arrive with a full week to prepare.
That is where this one gets interesting: Lyon are still clear favourites on paper, but the European setback on Wednesday and the wear and tear from that tie could make this home fixture trickier than it looks.
Lyon: effective rotation at Toulouse, but a squad still rattled by the exit 
OL won 2-0 at the Stadium of Toulouse on Saturday 22 August. Nartey broke the deadlock in the 68th minute, and Malick Fofana wrapped it up in the 85th.
The big headline was the line-up: Paulo Fonseca named a heavily changed side. He had little appetite for the LFP’s refusal to move the match, which came four days before the European second leg.
That win told us plenty about Lyon’s squad depth. The second string can go away from home, keep a clean sheet and get the job done, giving Fonseca options to rotate after the Fenerbahce tie.
Their summer European run had already shown that resilience. Lyon knocked out Sparta Prague in the third qualifying round after overturning a first-leg deficit with a 3-0 home win. But the playoff against Fenerbahce ended in elimination after the 1-2 defeat in the return leg at Groupama Stadium.
On the availability front, Pavel Sulc has recovered from a knee issue and Nicolas Tagliafico is back after his post-World Cup break. Moussa Niakhate, meanwhile, is carrying an ankle problem.
Corentin Tolisso and Tyler Morton are the heart of Fonseca’s set-up. After the workload against Fenerbahce, their condition and the manager’s rotation call will be crucial against Le Havre.
Lyon’s edge is still real thanks to the depth of the squad and an opponent yet to score this season, but the physical and mental backdrop is now less favourable after the European exit.
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Le Havre: no goals scored and a mess to sort out in goal 
HAC came away empty-handed from their first outing. A 0-1 home defeat to Monaco, no goals and no points.
Eric Dier struck in the 14th minute. Le Havre then had more than 75 minutes to claw their way back, but never really did.
The goalkeeper situation quickly became a talking point in Normandy. Mory Diaw was on the bench against Monaco, with Lionel Mpasi starting between the posts.
On Monday 24 August, the club confirmed Diaw’s move to Al-Shabab. That clears up the pecking order in goal, but it also removes an experienced option from the squad.
One goal conceded in one game is not a disaster in isolation. The real issue for HAC is up front, where they drew a blank on opening weekend.
Going to Groupama Stadium with an attack still stuck in neutral is a tough ask. Lyon have yet to concede in the league either, although we are working with only one match, which only strengthens the case for a difficult night for a Le Havre side still waiting to click in attack.
The main thing in Le Havre’s favour is the schedule: HAC have a full week to prepare, while OL have only three days to recover after their European playoff.
So the key battle could be Le Havre’s ability to hang in there early on. The longer they keep it level, the more Lyon’s fatigue and frustration could bite later in the game.
Probable Lyon line-up: Not available at time of publication.
Probable Le Havre line-up: Not available at time of publication.
Ligue 1 Prediction Lyon vs Le Havre
Our prediction: Lyon to win
Lyon are still the favourites at home despite the awkward timing of this one. Their 2-0 win at Toulouse with a heavily rotated side showed the strength in depth at Fonseca’s disposal, a big plus if he decides to shuffle again after the effort against Fenerbahce.
Le Havre, on the other hand, are still waiting for their first goal of the season. Fatigue and European disappointment are reasons to be cautious, but the difference in quality between the two squads, plus home advantage, points us towards a Lyon win as the main call.
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