Montpellier Vs Monaco
Montpellier Vs Monaco Friday 15th January 2021 – 20:00 (kick-off)
French Ligue 1
Pick: Over 2.5 Goals & Both Teams to Score
Odds: Evens
Bookmaker: Bet365
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 12th January 2021)
Preview: The potential for another humdinger inside Stade de la Mosson, between two sides who have established a knack for both scoring and conceding in matches this season, is very much real. It is Monaco, though who retain an exceptional record in Ligue 1 away to Montpellier.
French Ligue 1 Betting at Bet365
Table of Contents
Montpellier – Disconcerting times for one-time Ligue 1 champs?
Following the 1-1 draw here at Stade de la Mosson with Nantes, who were without a Ligue 1 win in nine beforehand, Montpellier (W8 D4 L7) have extended their own winless run to five matches (D2 L3). The last time the club had a longer barren period was during the early part of their troubled 2016/17 campaign, when they came close to relegation. So these are worrying times for the 2011/12 French title winners.
Fortunately, their position in the table of eighth isn’t quite as drastic as recent results, with fifth place Rennes and Europa League football only five points from reach. If La Paillade can somehow get back to the sort of form that seen them collect 23 of the first 36 points of the season, as opposed to just five of the last 21 after claiming one win from the last seven (W1 D2 L4), this season can still be salvaged.
Restoring Stade de la Mosson to the fortress it was last term would be a step in the right direction. Last season, Montpellier secured 10 of their 11 Ligue 1 victories in home fixtures, losing only two of the fourteen such matches that could be completed. In 2020/21, however, Michel Der Zakarian’s team have already lost five times on their own patch (W4 D1 L5), while no venue has seen more goals on average (3.7).
Monaco – Champions League pursuit back on?
Les Monegasques (W10 D3 L6) appear to be well and truly over their December blip. Last Saturday’s dominant performance in their 3-0 win over Angers, who are quietly enjoying a stellar campaign in seventh and came into the Stade Louis II contest boasting one of the better away records, made it three wins from the last four Ligue 1 outings courtesy of another outstanding showing from summer recruit Kevin Volland.
Volland, the club’s big name arrival during the off-season, has hit the ground running in the Principality and was again instrumental last time. The German international had a hand in all three of the goals against Angers, supplying a couple of assists to take his tally to six for the season, either side of his ninth Ligue 1 strike. Both are team leading figures, highlighting his growing importance on this side.
Back on the road, Monaco are bidding to win three consecutive away Ligue 1 matches, having dispatched Dijon (0-1) and Lorient (2-5) in the previous two, for the first time since August 2018. Niko Kovac’s men have been erratic on their travels so far this term (W4 L5), though have found the back of the net in all but one said fixture, while four of five away defeats were against current top-six sides.
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Montpellier Vs Monaco Betting Advice
The sticky patch Montpellier are currently going through clearly won’t last forever – their impressive form and results early into the season suggests they are far too good to endure much longer of this – however, a five game winless streak, losing three, is difficult to ignore all the same. Particularly as Monaco have hit a purple patch, recording three wins in a four match unbeaten spell to climb back up to fourth.
Montpellier Vs Monaco – Key Facts:
- With more losses than wins (4) at home this season, Montpellier have already sustained more than double the number of home defeats in 2020/21 (5) than 2020/21 (2).
- Montpellier are now winless in five (D2 L3) following last week’s home draw with Nantes. Monaco are unbeaten in four (W3 D1) after thrashing visitors Angers last time.
- A 3-1 victory for the hosts in last season’s corresponding fixture halted a miserable 20-game winless sequence (D8 L12) for Montpellier when hosting Monaco in Ligue 1.
There is plenty to like about the prospects of goals at Stade de la Mosson, where Montpellier have seen both teams net 70 per cent of the time, scoring in seven but conceding in all ten. Monaco, meanwhile, have reliably notched at least once in eight of nine away games this term, while six produced goals for both sides. Furthermore, four of the past five Ligue 1 meetings here seen Over 2.5 & Both Teams to Score land.
Best Betting Odds – Montpellier Vs Monaco
Montpellier – 16/5 (Bet365)
Draw – 3/1 (Betfair)
Monaco – 4/5 (PaddyPower)
