Lens vs PSG Predictions: Tips and Best Bets Preview

French expert Steve Wyss is here with his Lens vs PSG predictions and tips preview for the big Sunday night kick off in Ligue 1. These were the top two teams in France last season and Lens rumbled PSG 3-1 in this fixture.

Frank Haise’s hosts will not fear PSG and are likely to have a bold and positive gameplan. The Ligue 1 league leaders will have to be bang on their game otherwise there could be another shock on the cards.

If you’ve not had enough of your Ligue 1 fix this week, Steve has also dived head first into Marseille vs Strasbourg elsewhere on site.

Lens vs PSG Predictions and Tips Preview

1. Lens vs PSG Tip 1: Over 2.5 goals & BTTS
2. Lens vs PSG Tip 2: Kylian Mbappe to Score Anytime
3. Lens vs PSG Tip 3: Over 9.5 Corners

In this article:

• Lens vs PSG Team News
• The Predicted Ligue 1 Table
• Lens vs PSG Stats Preview
• How to watch Lens vs PSG
• Safer Gambling

Lens vs PSG Tip 1: Both teams can contribute goals in an open encounter

France, Ligue 1, Sunday 14th January, 19:45 (UK)

This is a matchup between the top two teams in the previous season and fixtures between these sides tend to get quite intense. A decent rivalry has built up again and Lens have proved to be no mugs against PSG since they returned to Ligue 1 level. All of the last six H2H encounters have ended with BTTS yes, with the last three encounters resulting in a 3-1 victory for the home team. PSG beat Lens at the end of August to lay down an early marker, but struggled at the Bollaert Stadium last year. The intense atmosphere will fire up Lens and PSG will have to make sure they are close to their best.

Lens have not been as strong this campaign but did go 11 games unbeaten in Ligue 1 before losing away to Nice just before Christmas. The new year didn’t start well with a Coupe de France exit and the hands of Monaco on penalties. Lens came from 0-2 down to draw 2-2 but ultimately lost out on spot kicks. PSG have only lost one league game all season and won 11 of their last 13 games. They are comfortably five points clear at the summit of the Ligue 1 table and warmed up for this game with an easy 9-0 victory in the French Cup last week vs Revel.

This is a macho type of contest in which both teams will swing hard and go for it. Lens will not back down and this is the sort of fixture where you almost have to ignore overall metrics and stats. Over 2.5 goals is a bit too short to back on its own, but combine it with BTTS yes and you can get 1.91. We all know PSG’s firepower and Lens’ home strength so this looks like a good combination.

• Lens vs PSG Tip 1: Over 2.5 Goals & BTTS (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 1.91
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 9/10

Lens vs PSG Tip 2: Odds-against for Mbappe?

Whenever PSG is involved, an obvious bet is to take Kylian Mbappe to score at any time. He’s often a poor price, so when he can be grabbed at odds-against to hit the back of the net, it feels like he should become an automatic bet. He is in a rich vein of form as well and scored seven times in his last four competitive games. He is the Ligue 1 top scorer with 18 goals in 16 games and an obvious class act.

The French captain has been in the headlines recently, so he is likely to be extra motivated to put on a show and perform. Mbappe likes to try to raise his level in the big games, and he’s performed against Lens in recent times.

He bagged a brace of goals against them in the reverse fixture and also scored in a 3-1 victory towards the back end of last season. Because Lens was such a big threat to PSG in the previous campaign, it’s likely that Mbappe will be fully focused on and almost targeting Les Sang et Or. It is difficult to turn down the chance to back him at odds-against in any Ligue 1 fixture, so this looks great value.

• Lens vs PSG Tip 2: Kylian Mbappe Anytime Scorer (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 2.05
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 9/10

Lens vs PSG Tip 3: Style of both teams can lead to plenty of corners

Corners can be a tricky bet to predict because we don’t know how the game state will go throughout the 90 minutes. However, this fixture has a history of flag kicks, with at least ten corners landing on all occasions in the last three H2Hs. This might not be too much of a surprise, though, because this can be a very intense type of fixture where both teams properly attack each other.

Lens plays in a 3-5-2 system, and their wingbacks are often a threat out wide to win corners. Lens averages five corners per game, which is the joint fourth most in Ligue 1. PSG averages 4.9 corners per game and surprisingly concedes an average of 5.0 themselves. Both fullbacks like to get forward in Luis Enrique’s system, even if quite a lot of attackers cut inside. This could be a high-tempo and fast-paced game, so over 9.5 corners is possible.

• Lens vs PSG Tip 3: Over 9.5 Corners (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 1.83
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 8/10

Lens vs PSG Predictions odds via bet365 as at 11:14, January 9th, 2024. Odds may now differ.

Lens vs PSG Team News Preview: Hakimi absence key for PSG

Both sides are not affected too badly by international call-ups. Achraf Hakimi is on international duty for Morocco, so Nordi Mukiele should fill in at right back for PSG. They have long-term injuries to Presnel Kimpembe and Nuno Mendes.

Salis Abdul-Samed is the most significant international loss for Lens. The likes of Jonathan Gradit and Deiver Machado are doubtful with injury.

The Predicted Ligue 1 Table

You may or may not have heard of BETSiE, our predictive model which we rely on for all things data here at bettingexpert. Handily for us, she has predicted a Ligue 1 table, shining the spotlight on how the table should look at 34 matches.

PSG, as you’d expect, are in 1st. RC Lens? It’s a 7th-placed finish for them.

RC Lens’ home games at Stade Bollaert-Delelis have been particularly notable in 2023/24, with the team harnessing the energetic support of their fans to create a formidable home advantage. This season has further cemented RC Lens’ status as a competitive and respected side in Ligue 1, with expectations high for their continued success in the top flight of French football.

It’s that home form that will provide a level of reassurance versus PSG, and also in terms of the final league standings. RC Lens supporters will hope it can edge them towards Champions League football in a bid to rubbish BETSiE’s predictions.

Lens vs PSG Stats Preview: Lens enjoy home comforts

• Lens have won their last four home league games and only lost once here all season.
• PSG are unbeaten away from home and won 11 of their last 13 Ligue 1 fixtures.
• The last 6 H2H meetings have all ended with BTTS yes.
• PSG have the highest over 2.5 rate in Ligue 1 with 12 out of 17 games containing at least 3 goals.
• Lens home games average exactly 2.5 goals.
• PSG have obtained the fewest cards of any team in Ligue 1.

How To Watch

• Lens vs PSG, Ligue 1
• Date and Time: Sunday 14th January, 19:45 (UK)
• How to Watch or Stream on TV (UK): TNT Sports 3

SAFER GAMBLING

At bettingexpert, we always take a safe approach to gambling. We’ll never bet more than we can afford or chase losses. For more advice, head to our Safer Gambling hub.