Away teams are the smart selections in France's top-flight this weekend, writes James Eastham...

In-form leaders ready to triumph again

Dijon vs PSG (20th vs 1st)
Fri, 19:45 GMT
Live on BT Sport 2 and Betfair Live Video
It's top vs bottom in Ligue 1 on Friday night and there appears no way struggling Dijon will be able to put meaningful resistance to halt a PSG side that go into the match in imperious form.
Just 11 games into the season Paris have built up an eight-point lead over second places Nantes. Thomas Tuchel's side have won their last six matches in all competitions, conceding just once and recording a +18 goal difference across those six games. Last weekend they were 4-0 up at half-time against Marseille, mercifully easing off after the interval so that no further goals were added.
PSG are fantastic to watch thanks to their riches in attack. Kylian Mbappe has been in stupendous form since returning from injury last month, while Angel Di Maria is playing arguably his best football since moving to the French capital four years ago. Mauro Icardi is joining in the fun, too: the Argentina international has scored four times in Ligue 1 at a rate of a goal every 70 minutes.
Dijon are much poorer than PSG all over the pitch. They scored just once in four matches in October, losing to much weaker sides than PSG in Bordeaux and Brest. The hosts' lack of firepower is a concern, and there's no way their defenders will be able to shut out the visitors if Paris' front players play even close to their potential.
PSG are 1.20 to win. Instead of taking this short price, back the visitors -2 on the Asian Handicap. With this selection, you'll get your stakes back if the game ends all-square and make a profit if PSG win by three or more goals. For a full guide to Asian Handicap betting, click here.

Underrated Brest can pick up points

Amiens vs Brest (14th vs 5th)
Sat, 19:00 GMT
Live on Betfair Live Video
Brest are one of the form teams in Ligue 1 so it's a surprise to find that they're major underdogs as they prepare to travel to Amiens' Stade de la Licorne on Saturday night. Amiens are an odds-on 1.80 to win, with Brest 5.10 and The Draw 3.90.
This makes little sense considering that Brest are a season-high fifth in the table after three straight wins without conceding a goal in October. Amiens can draw confidence from the fact that they've won their last two home games, scoring three times on each occasion: they beat a below-par Marseille 3-1 at the start of October, and defeated Angers 3-2 last weekend.
Those performances alone, however, do not justify the hosts' odds-on status. Brest are four points and nine places above Amiens in the league table. The visitors have good team news and will be confident they can avoid defeat.

lay of the hosts - which essentially means backing Brest not to lose - is the clever way to play this game. For a full guide to how backing and laying works, click here.

Visitors the smart selection

Metz vs Montpellier (19th vs 10th)
Sat, 19:00 GMT
Live on Betfair Live Video
Montpellier are a tough team to beat and will be confident they can avoid defeat away to a struggling Metz side this weekend. Michel Der Zakarian's visitors have better players than Metz in most areas of the pitch and have lost just two of their last eight matches (W4-D2-L2) in all competitions.
What makes Montpellier an especially attractive proposition is their depth and quality in attack. The recent return from injury of £9 million summer signing Teji Savanier has proved a timely boost: the ex-Nimes playmaker had been out since pre-season but is finally fit and available to pull the strings in midfield.
Savanier and the mobile Florent Mollet form a fantastic creative duo at the heart of the team, and in attack Andy Delort and Gaetan Laborde have been one of Ligue 1's most potent duos over the past 18 months. Delort was on target in Montpellier's 3-2 midweek League Cup win over Ligue 2 Nancy.
Metz have made a slow start to life in Ligue 1 following promotion last May. Outstanding seven-goal top scorer Habib Diallo has taken to the division brilliantly, but many of their other regular starters are struggling to make the grade.
Metz have won only one of their last five home games in all competitions (W1-D2-L2), so supporting Montpellier in some way makes sense. You can back the visitors to collect all three points at 2.96, or, like us, choose the Draw No Bet option instead.

0 nhận xét Blogger 0 Facebook

Post a Comment

 
Top