Montpellier vs Lyon

Montpellier and Lyon are set to square off at the Stade de la Mosson in a mid-table Ligue1 showdown.

Since a 2-1 home beating of Strasbourg on the eve of September’s international break, Montpellier have lost three Ligue 1 matches in succession, including the last two without scoring. Coming into this matchday, ‘La Paillade’ are the only side in the French top flight yet to draw a single league game this season (W4, L7) but have been the most entertaining team to watch. Montpellier’s opening 11 Ligue 1 fixtures have featured an average of 3.9 goals per game, highlighting the potential for a high-scoring contest. Adding to this sentiment, three of their last four top-flight H2Hs against Lyon have seen over 2.5 goals and both teams scoring, with Montpellier coming out victorious twice in that sequence (L2). The home side’s porous backline may contribute to another goal feast after conceding an average of two goals per league game in 2022/23.

In the meantime, visiting Lyon squandered a 1-0 lead in last weekend’s action-packed 3-2 defeat away to Rennes, extending their winless Ligue 1 streak to six matches (D1, L5). It wasn’t a touchline debut Laurent Blanc was expecting, as it saw his side lose further ground on the top three. With third-placed Lens already ten points clear, the visitors can ill-afford another slip-up if they’re to keep their hopes of returning to the Champions League group stages alive. However, Lyon head into proceedings amid the club’s worst five-game away start in the French top flight since 1982/83, having won none of their first five Ligue 1 games on the road (D1, L4). To make things worse for Blanc, his men have netted under 1.5 goals in four of their five league travels this season.