Monaco host Lille in top-of-the-table clash

As the Ligue 1 Uber Eats season hurtles towards an exciting climax, a massive set of midweek fixtures awaits us. In a trio of fixtures rearranged to accommodate their respective European campaigns, Paris Saint-Germain go to FC Lorient with a chance to seal the title and Olympique de Marseille and OGC Nice renew old hostilities at the Stade Vélodrôme. The match with the biggest implications will be taking place a little further up the French Rivieira, as AS Monaco welcome LOSC Lille to the Stade-Louis II.

Both are still mathematically in the hunt for the title, but more importantly will recognize that a win in this fixture will allow them to all but seal a place in the top four, one synonymous with a place in the UEFA Champions League. At the start of the day, AS Monaco sit eight points ahead of OGC Nice, while Les Dogues are five points ahead of Francesco Farioli‘s side. A win for the hosts would virtually seal their place in the top four, having maintained their seven-match unbeaten run at the weekend with a 2-0 win over third-place Stade Brestois, while Lille, off the back of a gritty 1-0 win away to RC Strasbourg, can move ahead of the Principality side with a win, owing to their superior goal difference.

To get the result they need, the hosts will need to do without key attackers Aleksandr Golovin and Eliesse Ben Seghir. Golovin’s season had ended through injury, while Ben Seghir was sent off late on in Sunday’s match. Coach Adi Hütter has suggested he could play with two strikers, as he had earlier in the season: “There are options up front, even in the absence of Golovin and Ben Seghir, with Takumi, Maghnes, Breel, Wissam, Folarin and even Krépin who can play higher up the pitch. I’m not at all worried about this, it will be up to me to find the best solution.”  Hütter will also have to make do without defender Wilfried Singo — the AFCON champion also received his marching orders on Sunday and will be a vital absence in defence.

Lille, for their part, have a relatively clean bill of health, but are coming off a challenging tie against Aston Villa in the Europa Conference League, and fatigue could be a factor, even as manager Paulo Fonseca will be glad to welcome the likely return of Nabil Bentaleb in midfield. His return, as well as Edon Zhegrova and Angel Gomes also coming back to full fitness in recent weeks, gives the visitors a plethora of options to support Jonathan David, the second-leading scorer in Ligue 1 Uber Eats.

Predicted lineups:

AS Monaco: (3-4-3): Majecki; Kehrer, Maripán, Salisu; Vanderson, Fofana, Zakaria, Diatta; Minamino, Ben Yedder (or Balogun), Akliouche

LOSC Lille: (4-2-3-1): Chevalier; Santos, Diakité, Yoro (or Alexsandro), Ismaily; Bentaleb, André; Zhegrova, Gomes, Gudmundsson (or Cabella); David