Monaco can move back to the top of Ligue 1, at least temporarily, when Lens visit Stade Louis II on Friday evening. Filipe Luís saw his perfect league start ended by a 1-1 draw with Strasbourg last weekend, although Monaco remain level on points with leaders Lille and have conceded just twice in four matches. Lens arrive amid considerably greater upheaval, with Yannick Cahuzac taking temporary charge following the departure of Dino Toppmöller after only four league games.

Analysis

Monaco’s defensive improvement provides the foundation

Last weekend represented the first minor setback of the Filipe Luís era, rather than anything approaching a cause for concern.

Monaco had won their opening three Ligue 1 fixtures before being held by Strasbourg, where Paris Brunner’s second-half goal rescued a point after Sadibou Sané’s own goal had put them behind.

The result dropped Les Monegasques to second on goal difference, but their overall start remains impressive. Most notably, Monaco have conceded only twice in four league games. That gives them the joint-best defensive record in Ligue 1 and represents an excellent platform for a team with enough attacking talent to decide matches without needing to produce its best football every week.

There has been evidence of resilience too. Monaco are yet to lose a domestic game this season after conceding first, collecting four points from matches in which they have fallen behind.

That quality could become important against a Lens team that has been creating plenty of opportunities despite its defensive problems.

Home advantage provides another source of confidence. Monaco have not lost a Ligue 1 match at Stade Louis II during September since Nice beat them 1-0 in 2023, and victory on Friday would immediately return them to the summit before the rest of the weekend’s programme.

Brunner is increasingly becoming an important part of the attack. The youngster’s equaliser against Strasbourg took him to three Ligue 1 goals for the season, putting him among the division’s early leading scorers.

Filipe Luís may nevertheless have to negotiate another lengthy list of absentees. Takumi Minamino remains out following his cruciate ligament injury, while Ansu Fati and Anis Sobeir are dealing with calf and ankle problems respectively.

Folarin Balogun is also a doubt with a knock, while Edan Diop has a thigh injury. Jordan Teze and Mamadou Coulibaly could miss out as well.

Those absences reduce Monaco’s attacking options, but the first month of the season has shown that their success is not dependent upon simply overwhelming opponents in the final third.

Lens change direction after only four league matches

Lens have taken a far more dramatic route into Friday’s fixture. Despite finishing last season with one of Ligue 1’s strongest defensive records, they have conceded at least twice in every competitive match so far this term. That deterioration contributed to the club reaching a remarkably early agreement with Toppmöller to end his tenure.

Cahuzac will now take temporary control, and his first challenge could hardly be much more demanding. There are, however, some positive signs beneath the defensive problems.

Lens have scored eight league goals, the joint-second-highest total in Ligue 1, and their last two matches have demonstrated considerable character.

They twice came from behind to defeat Slavia Prague in their Champions League opener before recovering from a two-goal deficit to secure a 2-2 draw away to Le Mans.

The issue is that Lens are making matches unnecessarily difficult for themselves. Their attacking numbers could also be even better. Les Sang et Or have missed 15 big chances, more than any other Ligue 1 side, suggesting their eight-goal return only tells part of the story. If their finishing becomes more efficient, there is enough creativity in this team to trouble Monaco’s impressive defence.

Abdallah Sima opened his league account last weekend, while Franjo Ivanovic was also on target in the comeback against Le Mans. Both could have important roles on Friday if Lens decide that attack represents their best route towards exploiting Monaco’s injury problems.

Cahuzac has availability concerns of his own. Jhoanner Chávez and Yacine Titraoui are struggling with thigh problems, while Régis Gurtner and Samson Baidoo are doubts because of hamstring injuries.

Maik Nawrocki remains sidelined by a cruciate ligament injury and Saud Abdulhamid is carrying a knock, although Souleymane Sangnan is available again following suspension.

Lens can also draw confidence from their recent trips to the Principality. They have avoided defeat on five of their last six domestic visits to Stade Louis II and produced a spectacular 4-1 victory here last season.

Verdict

Lens’s decision to change coaches after only four league fixtures adds an unpredictable element to this contest. Their attacking output has been good, and successive comebacks against Slavia Prague and Le Mans suggest confidence has not disappeared despite the upheaval.

Their defensive record is much harder to overlook. Monaco have built their excellent start on precisely the sort of stability that Lens currently lack. Even when Filipe Luís’s side have fallen behind, they have found ways to recover, while conceding only twice in four league matches gives them a significant advantage in a game that could become stretched.

Lens have repeatedly enjoyed themselves at Stade Louis II in recent years and should create opportunities again, but Monaco look better equipped to control the decisive periods.

Our prediction: Monaco 2-1 Lens.

Tip

Our tip: Monaco to win.