Angers Vs Lille
Angers Vs Lille Sunday 23rd May 2021 – 20:00 (BT Sport)
French Ligue 1
Pick: Lille Win to Nil
Odds: 23/20
Bookmaker: BetVictor
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 21st May 2021)
Preview: Ligue 1 leaders Lille head to Stade Raymond Kopa, the residence of Angers, on the final day of the 2020/21 season knowing a second successive victory at this ground would see them crowned Ligue 1 champions for only the fourth time. Failure to do so, however, would leave the door firmly ajar for PSG.
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Table of Contents
Angers – Les SCO already clocked out for the season?
Les Scoistes unremarkable form in 2021 continued last week as they were beaten 3-2 by Marseille at Stade Velodrome. L’OM seemingly spurred on to victory in their pursuit of a top-five finish that would ensure a return to the Europa League next term. Meanwhile Angers have been in cruise control for months now, recording only a third of their total wins in league competition this season since the turn of the year.
This equates to four wins in 20 games (D5 L11). The last of those – their sole triumph for more than two months – came last time out at home, against a Dijon side cut well adrift at the foot of the standings. Angers (W12 D8 L17) are otherwise labouring towards the season’s end, losing five of their past six encounters and registering only five points from the last 21 on offer at their Stade Raymond Kopa.
Do they possess the ability to spring a shock? Certainly. They have, after all, won three of the past five Ligue 1 meetings between the sides as hosts. However, aside from beating Marseille in December, Les SCO have done next to nothing lately that would indicate they have the beating of the best away outfit in Ligue 1. Particularly as their record this season at home to the top-four reads PL 3, L3. Losing each 1-0.
Lille – Galtier can lean on his solid backline?
A precious point towards a fourth Ligue 1 title – and first since 2010-11, when Eden Hazard properly introduced himself to the rest of Europe – or the loosening of their grip on top spot? Last Sunday’s scoreless stalemate at home to Saint-Etienne, who made for surprisingly stubborn guests despite having little other than a top-half finish as incentive, has made the task on Sunday that bit more stressful.
Now, only three points in Angers – where their record is troubling enough to leave their supporters in cold sweats – guarantees them the title. Lille (W23 D11 L3) would emerge as 2-0 victors here last season. However, that represented a first win at Stade Raymond Kopa since 2015, losing on four of five visits prior to goals from Victor Osimhen and Renato Sanches clinching Les Douges a rare triumph in February 2020.
Christophe Galtier’s charges will therefore require a huge favour from Brest, PSG’s hosts this Sunday, should their fortunes in this fixture regress to the norm. It may not reach that predicament though. This is because no team in Ligue 1 has a better record on their travels than Lille (W13 D4 L1), conceding on average 0.59 goals per away game and producing big wins recently in Paris (0-1) and Lyon (2-3).
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Angers Vs Lille Betting Advice
Seeing as Sunday’s hosts were unable to trouble five of their past six Ligue 1 opponents (W1 L5), Lille could ultimately end up coasting to the Ligue 1 title. Victory guarantees Christophe Galtier’s men top spot. And, with an inspired Burak Yilmaz arguably in the form of his career – the 35-year-old Turkish international has six goals in as many games – and the defence on top form too, only nerves can prevent them from completing the job in Angers.
Angers Vs Lille – Key Facts:
- Victory on Sunday, in a fixture they won 2-0 last season, would hand Lille their first Ligue 1 title since 2011. However, their record away to Angers since 2015 makes for stark reading: W1 D1 L3.
- Les Douges have been inspired on the road this season, though, recording the most wins (13), points (43/54), clean sheets (10) and conceding the least goals (11).
- No Lille player has more Ligue 1 goals in 2020/21 than Burak Yilmaz. Five of his 15 strikes have come in his last four appearances, including the opener in two of the last three away matches.
If Lille’s attackers were possibly guilty of feeling the pressure last time out, the defence unquestionably held theirs. The 0-0 draw with St-Etienne brought about a third successive clean sheet for a defence which boasts 21 for the season. Angers returned to goalscoring form recently, scoring five in their past two games, but were without a goal in six of the previous seven including three of the past five on home soil.
Best Betting Odds – Angers Vs Lille
Angers – 8/1 (PaddyPower)
Draw – 4/1 (Betfair)
Lille – 4/11 (BetFred)
