With high-flying Caen set to host champions Lille, it is only natural that we expect to see a great football at Stade Michel d’Ornano. The Normandy club have enjoyed a remarkable start to the season, having beaten Valenciennes and Sochaux, but they are likely to face a tough task against wounded Lille.

Caen continue to impress

Even in the season when they were relegated to the second division, Caen played some beautiful football and real football fans were sad to see Franck Dumas’ side go down at the end of the season. However, the Normandy club returned to the top flight after just one year in the second tier and they largely impressed last season. While selling key attacker Youssef El-Arabi to Al Hilal, Caen brought some very good players in Jerry Vandam, Pierre-Alain Frau and Frederic Bulot, with two wins in as many league games showing Franck Dumas’ side have already hit the ground running. Caen’s attack-minded style is somewhat uncharacteristic for French championship, although their next opponents know too well how to dazzle the fans with some attractive football. Brimming with confidence after two successive wins and spurred on by the vociferous support from the stands, the hosts are expected to attack Lille and try to record third successive victory.

Damien Perquis and Gregory Leca return to the side after recovering from injuries, while 16-year-old Niang is expected to start up front alongside Frau.

Lille very unlucky in first two rounds

Lille squad have suffered big changes after the club won Ligue 1 and Coupe de France titles last season, and that can explain a slow start of the season. Rudi Garcia found very good replacements for Cabaye, Rami, Gervinho and Emerson in Pedretti, Basa, Payet and Bonnart, so les Dogues are again seen as one of the main candidates for the title. Following the unlucky 5:4 defeat in Trophee des Champions to Marseill, Lille played pretty well against both Nancy and Montpellier, but ended up picking up just one point from the two games. That basically means that les Dogues have got to win in Caen so as to return to the right track, which should promise us a very open game at Stade Michel d’Ornano. With Hazard, Sow and Payet forming the attacking trident, Lille again boast the most lethal attack in the top flight and there are no doubts that their poor scoring record is bound to improve.

Fringe players Tulio de Melo and David Rozenhal are the only absentees, meaning that Rudi Garcia will be able to field his strongest line-up.

Verdict

Caen have been in fine form at the start of the season and their attacking football is producing great result. Lille, on the other hand, are playing well and creating chances, but have been very unlucky not to have scored more than one goal in first two games. With both teams set to adopt attack-minded approach, both teams to score looks like the best option here.

Our prediction: Home win

Odds: 1.91 (10/11)

Bookmaker: William Hill