Lorient will play host to Lyon in the final match of the upcoming Ligue 1 round on Sunday, 7 December.
Will the hosts stay unbeaten in the fourth league match in a row or will Lyon secure important three points as they try to get closer to the top of the table?
Find that out and more from our Lorient vs Lyon prediction and preview, but don't forget to check our other Ligue 1 predictions as well.
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Lorient vs Lyon prediction: A close victory for the guests
Key Stats
- Lyon have won their last two games against Nantes and Maccabi Tel Aviv convincingly, scoring nine goals and keeping a clean sheet in both matches.
- We saw both teams score in seven of the last 10 Lorient's games.
- Both teams have scored in seven of the last nine H2H meetings between these two teams.
Correct score prediction: Lorient 1-2 Lyon
While Lyon are clearly the better team of the two and are chasing the top of the standings as Lorient sit barely above the relegation zone, this won't be an easy game for the guests.
Lorient have been in solid form lately, with one loss in the last five games they played, plus they have only lost one of their seven home matches in Ligue 1 so far.
That being said, we do expect Lyon to edge out Lorient, but it will be a close game and that's why we also expect to see goals on both sides.
Pre-game odds and win probability: Lyon favoured by the bookies
- HOME: 21/10 (3.10) – 32.30%
- DRAW: 5/2 (3.50) – 28.60%
- AWAY: 5/4 (2.25) – 44.40%
*Odds from Ladbrokes, subject to change
It's clear from the Lorient vs Lyon odds that the guests are the expected winners, although the bookies don't see them as huge favourites. Considering Lorient's solid form lately, this certainly makes sense, even though Lyon are way ahead of them in the standings.
In any case, if you liked our predictions for this game, remember to also check our betting tips for today.
Most recent H2Hs: A close matchup lately
We saw Lyon win twice and Lorient once in their last five meetings, along with a couple of draws. Meanwhile, Lyon have the advantage when it comes to their overall H2H record: 18-11-7.
France Ligue 1 09/03/24
Lorient
Lyon
France Ligue 1 08/10/23
Lyon
Lorient
France Ligue 1 05/03/23
Lyon
Lorient
France Ligue 1 07/09/22
Lorient
Lyon
France Ligue 1 14/08/22
Lorient
Lyon
Lorient preview: Hoping to extend their solid run
While Lorient are currently 15th in the standings in Ligue 1, just barely above the relegation zone, they have been doing well recently. In their last five games in the league, they have only lost once, albeit they have only won once as well. Still, that's a solid haul for a team battling against relegation and if they can surprise Lyon on Sunday, they can get even further away from the relegation zone.
Meanwhile, Abdoulaye Fay, Panos Katseris, Trevan Sanusi, and Bandiougou Fadiga are out with injuries, while Bamo Meite is questionable after he suffered a blow late in Lorient's win over Nice.
Predicted lineup: Mvogo (GK), Yongwa, Adjei, Talbi, Le Bris, Avom, Abergel, Kouassi, Makengo, Pagis & Soumano
Last five matches
- Lorient 3-1 Nice (Ligue 1)
- Nantes 1-1 Lorient (Ligue 1)
- Lorient 1-1 Toulouse (Ligue 1)
- Lens 3-0 Lorient (Ligue 1)
- Lorient 1-1 PSG (Ligue 1)
Lyon preview: Can they win third time in a row?
After four games without a win in Ligue 1, Lyon finally broke this streak by beating Nantes at home in the last round. Before that, they also secured a win in the Europa League against Maccabi Tel Aviv, so we could see Lyon back in their best form against Lorient as well. They are currently fifth in the Ligue 1 standings, seven points behind league leaders Lens.
When it comes to team news, Tanner Tessmann, Ruben Kluivert, Rachid Ghezzal, Clinton Mata, Ernest Nuamah, Malick Fofana, and Orel Mangala are all on Lyon's injury list ahead of this match.
Predicted lineup: Grief (GK), Maitland-Niles, Niakhate, Tagliafico, Hateboer, Morton, De Carvalho, Abner, Tolisso, Sulc & Satriano
Last five matches
- Lyon 3-0 Nantes (Ligue 1)
- Maccabi Tel Aviv 0-6 Lyon (Europa League)
- Auxerre 0-0 Lyon (Ligue 1)
- Lyon 2-3 PSG (Ligue 1)
- Real Betis 2-0 Lyon (Europa League)
Player to watch: Pavel Sulc
Despite only starting in six Ligue 1 matches for Lyon this season, Sulc is the team's top scorer in the league with five goals, to which he also added two assists.
Sulc is a valuable part of the team not just because he's been in good form, but also because he's versatile enough to play on the wing or up front, so keep an eye on him against Lorient as well, especially if he gets the starting nod.