Lille vs St Etienne
16 May 2000hrs
Football – France – Ligue 1
Pick Under 2.5 goals
Bookmaker William Hill
Odds: 17/20 odds taken 2000 GMT, Friday 14 May
Lille could wrap up the Ligue 1 title or at the very least take a huge step to doing just that when they face a St Etienne team who have little to play for in what is the penultimate game of the season for both.
Table of Contents
Lille Preview – Will Lille get the three points which will put them on the cusp of a famous title success?
Nobody expect them to be in the position they are in now at the start of the season but Lille have performed the role of underdogs perfectly this season. Christian Galtier’s men are top of Ligue 1 with a three point lead over PSG and all they have to do is take four points from their final two matches to guarantee them their first title since 2011 and just their fourth in the history of the club.
Clearly there is still work to do but it’s a great position to be in and helped significantly with the current champions dropping points last weekend.
Nobody can argue with how deserving Lille are of their position at the moment either. Their form against the other top teams this season is excellent. They are unbeaten against all the other teams who have competed for the title and top three, with a 1-0 victory in Paris up there as perhaps their most significant. Galtier and the club’s supporters will point to the come from behind win at Lyon a couple of weeks ago when they won 3-2 having been down 2-0.
The key man in recent weeks has been veteran striker Burak Yilmaz. the Turkish internationalist has six goals in his last five.
St Etienne Preview – Could St Etienne be the spoilers and give PSG a huge boost?
They can’t reach the European spots and they won’t be relegated. In essence, there is nothing to play for St Etienne to aspire to in their remaining two games but they’re in good form and will be hoping to continue that. If that means putting a dent in the host’s title hopes and at the same time handing a lifeline to PSG then so be it.
Claude Puel is not everybody’s cup of tea but he’s been effective in his time in charge and having managed Lille for six years earlier in his career he will be well known around those parts.
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Last weekend’s win over Marseille was Puel’s men fifth win in their last eight games which is a distinct improvement on the four wins in 13 which preceded their current form. They’ll end their campaign at home to Dijon next Sunday before beginning preparations for the next campaign.
As you would expect from a team managed by Puel, this St Etienne team are well organised and that benefits them when they play away from home. Four wins in their last six is testament to that and they will carry a threat here.
Lille vs St Etienne Betting Advice
If Lille can win here then they will only require a point away to an Angers team who are also locked in mid-table and only pride to play for. There’s no getting away from how important this game is for them and they have shown they are capable of dealing with the pressure.
The sides drew 1-1 when they met earlier int he season but Lille have had the upper hand at home in recent seasons – winning five of the last seven against St Etienne.
Key Facts – Lille vs St Etienne Betting Tip
- Lille require four points from their final two matches to guarantee their first title in 10 years
- St Etienne have little to play for but have won five of their last eight in Ligue 1
- Lille have won five of their last seven home games against this opponent
Lille’s home form is not actually great of late as they have dropped points in four of their last six. St Etienne will make it difficult for them and I’m inclined to back under 2.5 goals. It’s been a winner in six of Lille’s last seven home matches.
