RC Lens VS Arsenal Match Prediction

There have only ever been four meetings between these two clubs in competitive action, with Arsenal winning twice to Lens' single victory. 

The most recent clash was in the 1999/2000 season in what was then called the UEFA Cup, when Arsenal won 1-0 at home and 2-1 away to move into the next round of the competition. 

Lens won 1-0 at Arsenal when the teams met in the UEFA Champions League in 1998, having drawn 1-1 in the home game between the two sides.

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Arsenal v Lens: Prediction

Although Arsenal have a number of their star names missing for this game as Arsene Wenger likes to give his players a summer break regardless of their competing in international tournaments, it would be a surprise if the Premier League side were not to come out on top here.

Arsenal v Lens: Betting Tips

Arsenal have been priced up as the favourites for this game and can be backed at 4/7 to beat Lens on Friday, while the hosts are available at odds of 15/4 to pull off what would be a famous win. There looks to be some value in a price of 11/4 on a draw, especially as this will be Arsenal's first game of pre-season, but the 7/1 on offer for an Arsenal 2-1 win also stands out.

Ligue 2 outfit Lens have played just one pre-season game so far, a 2-1 win at home against Waasland-Beveren, but the visit of Arsenal on Friday will be a big step up in class. 

Coach Alain Casanova is likely to heavily rotate his team from that victory in order to get fitness levels as high as possible throughout the squad.

Lens likely XI:

Douchez, Ba, Lala, Moore, Landre, Autret, Bostock, N'Daw, Zoubir, Chavarria, Banza.

 

Alexis Sanchez is among the Arsenal players set to miss the game as he has been given time off following the Copa America, while big new signing Granit Xhaka is yet to link up with his new team-mates after playing for Switzerland at Euro 2016. 

Jack Wilshere has been training and could be in action at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis on Friday, but Olivier Giroud, Laurent Koscielny, Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey are not likely to be involved. Among those likely to start for Arsenal in this game are Per Mertesacker, Theo Walcott, Mohamed Elneny, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Jeff Reine-Adelaide.

Arsenal likely XI: 

Cech, Chambers, Gabriel, Mertesacker, Gibbs, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Elneny; Walcott, Reine-Adelaide, Campbell, Akpom.

Pre-season is more about fitness than results, but Arsenal will still want to get their preparations for the new Premier League campaign off to a winning start. Even with a host of big names not included in the squad for the game, Arsenal should still come out on top relatively easily, although Lens will be out to impress in what is a massive match for this small club.

No game between these two sides has ever seen more than three goals scored.