Lyon look to get their season back on track and end a three-match run without a win, as they play host to champions Monaco in the French Ligue 1. Lyon have under-performed this season, despite their only defeat coming against unbeaten league leaders Paris Saint-Germain. They have picked up just one win from their last six matches, with four draws during that time.
Lyon
Three of those draws have finished 3-3, with Lyon throwing away a two-goal lead on two separate occasions and a one-goal lead in the other match. Against Bordeaux in August, at the start of this below-par run, they led 3-1 with just two-minutes left but had to settle for a point. Their inability to defend a lead has cost them valuable points and they know they must get back to winning ways soon if they are to challenge for a place in Europe. Recent League Form (Last 6) – DDLWDD
Monaco
Defending Ligue 1 champions Monaco are keeping pace with big-spending table toppers PSG, winning six and drawing one of their eight league games. Their only defeat came at the beginning of September, and was a heavy 4-0 loss away at Nice. They bounced straight back from that with comfortable victories over Strasbourg and Lille, but were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Montpellier in their last match before the international break. Recent League Form (Last 6) – DWWLWW.
Head to Head
After 44 meetings since 1994, the head to head between these sides is extremely close. Lyon hold a slender lead, with 17 victories, but Monaco have won 14 and there have been 13 draws. Three of the last seven have been Lyon victories and three have finished level. However, Monaco’s sole victory in that time came in the most recent meeting between the sides. That was a 2-1 away win for Monaco in April this year. One interesting stat ahead of this match is that Monaco have had a player sent-off in three of the last four meetings.
Betting Odds and Predictions
As expected, the betting odds are extremely close for this match. Lyon are priced at 7/5 with Bet 365 for the victory, Monaco at 13/8, and the draw is at 27/10. So, while picking a winner may be tough, the profit potential is high. With Lyon drawing 50% of their league games so far, and having home advantage here against a fantastic Monaco team who have shown their class several times this season, we would recommend covering yourself in any bet by using the ‘Double Chance’ or ‘Draw No Bet’ markets.
The Double Chance we would select, if forced, would be Lyon or Draw at odds of 1/2. Even though Monaco are the champions, Lyon are unbeaten at home this season and the visitors have suffered a recent heavy defeat on their travels. The potential for goals in this match is high. Both sides have statistics showing at least three goals scored in six of eight league games this season. Also, there have been fourteen goals scored in the last three meetings. Over 2.5 Goals is priced at 4/9 and looks to be the best bet available for this match.
Top Betting Tip
As mentioned above, this match is too close to call. So, we have gone with a statistically safe bet by selecting Over 2.5 Goals as our top tip at odds of 2/5 with Bet 365.
