Lens vs Arsenal betting preview: Odds and predictions
ARSENAL made a winning start to their Champions League campaign a fortnight ago. Flying domestically, can they continue their fine form in France on Tuesday night?
Lens vs Arsenal odds
Here are the latest match odds for Lens vs Arsenal odds from our top-rated football bookies:
Quick betting tips for Lens vs Arsenal
- Arsenal to qualify – 4/7 with Spreadex
- Gabriel Magalhaes to score – 11/1 with bet365
- Bet on Odegaard to score at any time – 5/2 with William Hill
Lens vs Arsenal betting preview
It’s 20 years since Arsenal famously went unbeaten through an entire Premier League season.
The modern-day Gunners are celebrating that fact in their own way, emulating ‘The Invincibles’ so far with no matches lost yet in 2023/24.
Of course, there’s an awful long way to go but they should at least be able to extend their unbeaten start by another game on Tuesday when they head to Lens in the Champions League.
The French side have made a contrasting start to their campaign – they sit 15th of 18 in Ligue 1, only just outside the relegation zone.
After losing several key players in the summer, it’s perhaps not that surprising but the drop-off from last season has been rather alarming.
On the positive side of things, their two league wins have come in their last two games and they came on the back of an encouraging Champions League result – a 1-1 draw away to Sevilla on matchday one.
On the same night, Arsenal were laying down a marker to their group rivals though, thrashing an attack-minded PSV side 4-0 at the Emirates.
If PSV couldn’t score against the Gunners, there’s a good chance Lens will also struggle to do so.
They’ve scored only seven times in seven league games so far, conceding 12.
Arsenal’s last four wins have all come without conceding a goal, while last season 10 of their 12 away wins in the Premier League were ‘to nil’.
That looks a good way of backing the visitors on what could well be a comfortable night for Mikel Arteta’s side.
We’ve also got an 11/1 shot among our betting tips for this game – read on to find out more!
Lens vs Arsenal key stats
Let’s take a look at some of the key stats surrounding Lens and Arsenal:
- Bukayo Saka is a major doubt for Arsenal after limping out of Saturday’s win at Bournemouth with a “pretty bad knock”. Gabriel Martinelli could return, however.
- For Lens, former Newcastle man Massadio Haidara has missed the last two games, both of which have both won, so Deiver Machado may well continue at wing-back.
- Lens’ Argentine defender Facundo Medina has been carded in five of seven appearances so far this season.
- Arsenal are yet to lose in any competition this season, winning seven and drawing two.
- The Gunners’ last four victories have all come without conceding.
Lens vs Arsenal best bets
Arsenal to win to nil
Arsenal appear to have kicked on after last season’s efforts and are yet to be defeated in 2023/24.
Here they face a side struggling in Ligue 1 after a summer of change (two wins in seven) and the visitors should be able to take advantage.
The Gunners may well be worth backing to win by any means at 8/13 but for a bit more value, get with them to win ‘to nil’ – they’ve done this in four of their last five matches and Lens have scored only seven goals in those seven league games.
Bet on Arsenal to win to nil at 7/4 at Spreadex
Gabriel Magalhaes to score
Arsenal have a Premier League-high four goals from set pieces so far this season, while Lens have conceded three in Ligue 1.
While defender Gabriel is yet to score this season, we know his aerial threat is strong – he’s bagged eight goals across the last two seasons. That’s impressive for a centre-back.
In the circumstances, a double-figure price about him finding the net in this game looks worth a punt.
Back Gabriel to score at any time at 11/1 at bet365
Martin Odegaard to score
Perhaps a more realistic bet in the goalscorer markets is Odegaard.
Notably, he’s likely to be on penalties if, as expected, Bukayo Saka is left out following his weekend injury.
Lens have already conceded three spot kicks this season and Odegaard will always be a threat with his driving forward runs from midfield.
Bet on Odegaard to score at any time at 5/2 at William Hill
How to watch Lens vs Arsenal
- Location: Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens, France
- Time: 20:00 BST on Tuesday, October 3
- Where to watch: TNT Sports 2
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