Montpellier Vs St Etienne
Sunday 9th February 2020 – 14:00 Kick-Off
French Ligue 1
Pick: Montpellier to WIN
Odds: 23/20
Bookmaker: Bet365
(All betting odds displayed in this article were correct at time of writing: 6th February 2020 at 11:10)
Preview: First up in Ligue 1 on Sunday is a match at Stade de la Mosson between a team with its sights firmly on qualifying for Europe and another desperate to keep itself above the danger zone. It is Montpellier versus Saint-Etienne, shown live on BT Sport.
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Table of Contents
Montpellier Preview – La Paillade can get their push for Europe back on course?
One point taken from the last six has cost Montpellier (5th – W9 D7 L7) precious ground in their pursuit of European football for next season. The club now trail fourth-placed Lille by three points following the midweek draw with Metz, relinquishing a 1-0 lead provided for them by Teji Savanier with only ten minutes remaining – though a draw was probably a fair result in what was a contest low on quality scoring opportunities.
Against Metz a meagre 0.48xG was garnered, which is rather unlike them. Montpellier had been mightily impressive at Stade de la Mosson for much of the this term, with their record there a formidable W8 D2 L2 – those losses occurring only against top-quality opposition in the shape of PSG and Rennes. So it takes something special to get the better of Michel Der Zakarian and his side on home soil, scoring at least once in all but two Ligue 1 home games this season.
La Paillade will fancy more than the odd goal here, however, welcoming an opponent in dire straits right now but particularly on their travels. Montpellier won three consecutive league matches prior to their recent slump and were close to making it four wins in five on Wednesday but for a late equaliser. Therefore capitalising on the current woes of this St Etienne side, which has lost four successive away league games whilst shipping at least two goals on each occasion, shouldn’t be an issue.
St Etienne Preview – Les Verts tumbling towards another relegation scrap?
Like some of his previous posts, particularly those in England, another Claude Puel tenure as manager could soon draw to a close. The pragmatic 58-year-old requires the sort of dramatic turnaround similar to the one he helped inspire upon his arrival back in October, when Saint-Etienne (15th – W8 D4 L11) embarked on a run of four wins and no defeats in six Ligue 1 matches – including winning the Derby Rhone-Alps versus Lyon during his very first game in charge.
Those early highs have since been followed by a series of lows, most recently with a weak performance on Wednesday at home to Marseille. Generating a measly 0.46xG in that game, Les Verts were easily beaten 2-0 on the night as they slumped to a second straight Ligue 1 defeat, having been trounced away in Metz (3-1) the previous weekend. A sixth defeat in the last seven (W1 L6), although the club are still going in the Coupe de France following their slender 1-0 victory in Monaco last month.
Furthermore, not since Denis Bouanga’s double away to Nantes, in a 3-2 win, has a single point been registered away from home, losing all four such encounters thereafter at Rennes (2-1), Reims (3-1), Strasbourg (2-1) and Metz (3-1). Of that quartet, only Rennes are currently placed higher in the Ligue 1 standings than Sunday’s opponents, whom they do retain a decent record against, though, and especially as the visiting side, having won on four of the last six trips (W4 D1 L1) to Montpellier in the league.
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Betting Summary
Considering where these are in the standings with relation to one another (5 vs 15), their contrasting records when at home/away (W8 D2 L2/W4 D4 L4) and the fact the visitors will also be arriving hopelessly out of form and low on morale, it was surprising to see Montpellier available at such reasonable odds. The latter are genuine contenders for a top four finish whereas St Etienne are back on another tilt towards relegation.
Montpellier Vs St Etienne – Key Facts:
- Only Lille (29) and PSG (28) claimed more points from home fixtures thus far than Montpellier (26), whose eight wins in said games (W8 D2 L2) is twice the number St Etienne managed on the road (W4 D4 L4).
- Half (4/8) of Montpellier‘s wins at home this season were without keeping a clean sheet, while St Etienne are on a four-match losing away run despite scoring in all four.
- On their most recent six visits to Montpellier in Ligue 1, St Etienne tasted defeat only once (W4 D1 L1).
As already mentioned, St Etienne have lost their last four away. All four were despite scoring, which marries rather nicely with Montpellier claiming half (4/8) of their wins when at home this season without keeping a clean sheet. Montpellier and Both Teams to Score looks big at 4/1 (Bet365). Regardless, the hosts are the obvious selection, particularly at the odds, to further compound Claud Puel’s woes.
Best Betting Odds for Montpellier Vs St Etienne
Montpellier – 23/20 Bet365
Draw – 9/4 Betfair
St Etienne – 3/1 Betway
