Nice v Nantes
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Friday 14th January – 8:00PM KO
Nice began 2022 with a bang as they defeated Brest 3-0 away from home, overcoming the loss of midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin to a harsh first-half red card. Christophe Galtier’s side showed admirable efficiency at both ends of the field, with goalkeeper Walter Benitez producing a fine display while Amine Gouiri starred on the counter.
Nice have now won their last four fixtures in all competitions and post a strong recent record in their head-to-head against Nantes, chalking up three successive victories and scoring two goals on each occasion.
Nantes, though, are likely to try to stifle them. The good form of Antoine Kombouare’s side has been built around solid defensive work that has seen them keep five clean sheets in their last six matches.
With attacking catalyst Moses Simon away on international duty, their effectiveness on the break is set to be compromised, as was evidenced in last weekend’s close-fought encounter with Monaco that produced only five shots on target.
The hosts have had trouble breaking down stout defensive teams this season, which has led to defeats against Montpellier, Metz and Strasbourg. Even if Nice do succeed in making the breakthrough in this match, the likelihood is that it will be a low-scoring affair.
That would echo the previous fixture between these sides in September, when Nice scored twice late on to seal a 2-0 win.
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Prediction: Under 2.5 Goals, 1.73 on Betfair (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Saint-Etienne v Lens
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Saturday 15th January – 4:00PM KO
Bottom side Saint-Etienne will play their first Ligue 1 match of 2022 on Saturday, having seen their fixture with Angers last weekend fall victim of a Covid cluster in their opponents’ ranks.
It has provided time for Sainté to prepare for this match, but they have been in miserable form for weeks, losing each of their last five Ligue 1 matches by an aggregate score of 12-1.
Pascal Dupraz has taken charge of the historic club since they lost 1-0 in Nantes three days prior to Christmas but has an enormous task on his hands to make a quick improvement. Five players are away on international duty, including top scorer Wahbi Khazri, flying winger Denis Bouanga, lynchpin midfielder Yvan Neyou and centre-back Harold Moukoudi. It is an intimidating list of absentees to cope with.
Lens come into this encounter in a significantly better state than their hosts. They regained momentum by coming from behind to beat Lille on penalties in the Coupe de France before overcoming Rennes in the league last weekend.
Additionally, Franck Haise should have a strong squad to pick from ahead of this match, with just a handful of non-essential players set for the sidelines.
This is a match in which they can highlight that they have turned a corner from their poor pre-Christmas form.
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Prediction: Lens Win, 2.05 on Betfair (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
PSG v Brest
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Saturday 15th January – 8:00PM KO
Paris Saint-Germain’s fixture against Brest is the very definition of a home banker. The Parisians have won the last 10 meetings between these clubs, going back to the 2010-11 season, while Brest have lost seven of their previous eight against the league leaders by a least two goals.
When the clubs met earlier this season, the outcome was a highly entertaining 4-2 PSG win in a match that was ultimately settled by an incredible long-range striker from Idrissa Gueye.
PSG’s home record, meanwhile, has been formidable this season. They have won 11 of the 12 matches they have played in all competitions at Parc des Princes, with only Nice thwarting them in a 0-0 draw.
There is little to suggest that trend should change in this game. The bulk of the Covid infections that depleted them against Lyon a week ago have cleared, for instance.
Meanwhile, Brest’s form has failed in recent weeks. After winning a club-record six successive Ligue 1 matches, they are winless in their las three, including heavy losses against Montpellier and Nice, who played much of last weekend’s clash down to 10 men and yet still ran out 3-0 winners.
Indeed, when Brest have lost this season, they have tended to do so heavily. Of their seven defeats in Ligue 1 this term, five of these have come by two goals or more.
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Prediction: PSG -1 , 1.57 on Betfair (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
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