- 1 OGC Nice vs LOSC Lille: bottom of the table meets the only unbeaten side in the division
- 2 Nice need to wake up a dead attack
- 3 Lille arrive as leaders with two away clean sheets
- 4 Ligue 1 prediction OGC Nice vs LOSC Lille
- 5 First, a word on our free predictions
- 6 No commitment from us
- 7 Information changes fast
- 8 Your responsibility
- 9 Responsible gambling first
- 10 Legal age
- 11 About the images…
OGC Nice vs LOSC Lille: bottom of the table meets the only unbeaten side in the division 
Nice sit bottom of Ligue 1 after four rounds. Lille lead the way with three wins and a draw.
No other fixture in this fifth round pits such a gulf in position against each other. These two clubs are separated by the full width of the table.
LOSC have only dropped points against Paris Saint-Germain, in a 2-2 draw. Their two away trips have both ended in clean, straightforward wins, 1-0 at Angers and 2-0 at Toulouse.
Davide Ancelotti has made one of the strongest starts in the division in his first season in charge up north. The numbers are hard to argue with at this stage.
Nice have gone in the opposite direction. The Eagles lost 1-0 at Auxerre on 12 September, thanks to an Archer strike in the 74th minute, and that defeat sent them to the bottom.
The biggest issue for Nice is up front. The club had scored just once across the first three matchdays, a tally that says plenty about how blunt they’ve been.
Their last two home matches have both finished level. Allianz Riviera still hasn’t seen its team win this season.
Kick-off is on Sunday 20 September at 17:15 at Allianz Riviera. It’s the only Ligue 1 match starting at that hour on Sunday.
The pressure in Nice goes beyond a poor opening to the season. The club had to survive a relegation play-off against Saint-Etienne at the end of last campaign.
That backdrop explains the nerves already hanging over Allianz Riviera in mid-September. Four matches in, and survival talk is already back on the table.
Nice need to wake up a dead attack 
One goal in three games: that was Nice’s starting point this season. No Ligue 1 side has been quite that toothless over the same spell.
Matchday four made things worse. The trip to Auxerre ended in a 1-0 defeat against a team that had shipped 11 goals in its first three games.
That loss hurt in the standings. Nice are now bottom, and their points total leaves little room for error this early in the campaign.
The home record is less ugly, but it’s still nowhere near good enough. Two home games, two draws: the Eagles have yet to turn home advantage into three points.
The injury list doesn’t help. Morgan Sanson and Laurent Abergel are both unavailable, which strips a bit of experience out of Nice’s midfield.
Home fans can cling to one recent memory. Nice beat Lille 2-0 at home in Ligue 1 last season, on 29 October.
The real issue remains the attack. In their first four league games, Nice have never scored more than once in a match.
The schedule offers no breathing space before the break. Facing the league leaders is about as tough as it gets in this situation.
Nice’s squad was also hit this summer by the departure of Ali Abdi, with the Tunisian full-back leaving the Riviera after a difficult season. That leaves fewer defensive options to rotate.
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Lille arrive as leaders with two away clean sheets 
Three wins and a draw from four games: LOSC are the only unbeaten side at the top of the table. That total puts them top of Ligue 1 heading into this fifth round.
Their two away trips up north have both been handled without conceding. Angers fell 1-0, Toulouse 2-0, two wins built on a solid defensive base.
Their only stumble came against the reigning champions. The 2-2 draw with Paris Saint-Germain remains the only points Lille have dropped this season.
That consistency shows going forward too. Lille have scored in all four league matches, and they’re not relying on just one man.
Three absentees are worth noting for Lille. Tanguy Nianzou, Loun Srdanovic and Hamza Igamane will not make the trip to the Riviera.
The fixture list stays busy for the Dogues, who are fighting on several fronts this autumn. A trip to the bottom side is the clearest chance to cement first place before the international break.
What Ancelotti has built here is pretty impressive for a side under new management. He’s taken over at LOSC and already boasts the best record in the division.
The 2-2 draw with Paris also stands out as a useful marker. Lille went toe to toe with the champions and never looked second best.
The two away clean sheets are the most telling stat in the case. Angers and Toulouse never found a way through.
Nianzou, Srdanovic and Igamane will miss the trip, trimming the options in central defence and up front. Lille’s squad depth has so far soaked up that kind of blow without much fuss.
Probable OGC Nice lineup: Not announced at the time of publication.
Probable LOSC Lille lineup: Not announced at the time of publication.
Ligue 1 prediction OGC Nice vs LOSC Lille
Our prediction: Lille to win
Lille have won both of their away games this season without conceding, at Angers and then Toulouse. That away record is the key reason for backing them here.
Nice, by contrast, had scored only once in their first three matches and still haven’t won in front of their own fans. The absences of Sanson and Abergel cut down their options to build attacks through midfield even further.
The leaders are travelling to the bottom side with the best momentum in the division and an attack that’s scoring every week. Lille to win is the call.
One more thing points toward the Dogues: they’re facing the only team in the league that still hasn’t won at home. The balance of power is clear after four matches.
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