Monaco should have too much firepower for Brest as Philippe Clement’s side continue to chase a top-three finish. The Monegasques have been disappointing at home this season, with just three wins from eight matches in Ligue 1 action, yet this is coloured slightly by a poor start to the season. Since August, they have won eight of 11 league matches overall, while the only cheap dropped points at home came via a 1-1 draw with Clermont.

Clement’s side were not entirely polished on Wednesday as they overcame Auxerre 3-2, with teenager Eliesse Ben Seghir impressing on debut by coming off the bench to score a match-winning double, but it was a game that highlighted the strength in depth that they boast, particularly in attack.

This should be seen as a worry for Brest, who were easily beaten 4-2 at home by a depleted Lyon team. In particular, their defensive work in that match was woeful and spells trouble ahead of their trop to Stade Louis II.

The Breton side, who are still under the interim management of a coaching trio led by Bruno Grougi, have a poor away record, with five defeats in eight road trips this season. Monaco has not been a happy hunting ground for the Pirates over the course of recent seasons. Since winning promotion back to Ligue 1, they have lost three successive fixtures by at least two goals, conceding a total of 10 times. A similar outcome should be forecast in this match.

There will be something of a derby feel to Lyon’s opening match of 2023 as they host Clermont at Parc OL.

Laurent Blanc’s side signed off 2022 in impressive style by recording a 4-2 win over Brest away from home, with their attack clicking into gear impressively. Rayan Cherki was deployed behind Alexandre Lacazette and the pair dovetailed beautifully as OL found the net four times. Lyon have been prone to inconsistency in recent years, though, so there is an air of trepidation as to how they might fare in this game, which on paper is one they should win.

This is added to by the makeshift nature of their defence. It looked vulnerable against a modest Brest attack and will again be in a patchwork state for this game. Damien Da Silva could be deployed at left-back once again, highlighting just how depleted they are in this area.

Clermont are a team that has the capacity to benefit from this. Patrice Garande’s team have been more prolific on their travels than at home this season, scoring 11 in eight away games, while they have had a recent habit of scoring exactly once in their games. Prior to a 2-0 loss against Lille on Wednesday, they had found the net in eight successive Ligue 1 matches, in which both teams had scored.

Lyon and Clermont’s three previous meetings have all seen both teams finding the net, and that run looks good value to continue, largely because of OL’s significant selection issues.

It’s rare to see PSG at such long odds to get a win in a Ligue 1 match, and there are certainly clear factors that dictate that. Of course, the absence of both Lionel Messi and Neymar from PSG’s starting XI hints at the potential for problems, but equally Lens have won each of their eight home matches this season and are clearly France’s second force at the moment.

Stade Bollaert is not a venue that has been good to PSG in recent times either. Last season, they were held to a 1-1 draw in France’s far north east while they were beaten 1-0 in a Covid-impacted game a year earlier.

But PSG remain PSG. Kylian Mbappe showed against Strasbourg his capacity to drag his team to a victory from unlikely circumstances, as he so nearly did with France in the World Cup final against Argentina. Meanwhile, there is strength and depth elsewhere in their ranks to cope with the rigours of two matches in a quick turnaround.

PSG also have the advantage of a day extra rest compared to Lens, whose performance against Nice on Thursday was impacted by a virus that has troubled their squad without necessarily decimating it. That match finished scoreless.

Backing a low-scoring game may also have some value here given that PSG are bereft of their star performers and Lens coach Franck Haise has been pragmatic in recent months. Lens went on a six-match run between September 9 and October 22 during which no more than a single goal was scored in their games, so they have the capacity to keep things tight and hit on the counter. At over evens, this is worth some consideration.

PSG, though, look tasty value.