Rennes v Bordeaux

Rennes will attempt to end a three-match losing streak in Ligue 1 when they meet crisis-hit Bordeaux on Sunday.

There is not a team in France’s top flight in a worse state than les Girondins right now, with the club having announced huge financial losses but also the exile of four senior first-team players, including captain Laurent Koscielny.

Meanwhile, head coach Vladimir Petkovic finds himself increasingly under pressure after the club’s long-standing undefeated home run against Marseille was ended in a 1-0 defeat last week.

Rennes have had a far more serene week to prepare for this fixture. Midfielder Flavien Tait has picked up an injury that will prevent him from playing, but other than the players missing because of international duty, the home side should have a full-strength squad to select from.

Given that Rennes are not in great form at present, odds of 1.4 for them to win the match appear a little slim to be considered good value. Instead, there could be better to be found in the Over/Under market.

This is a fixture that has not produced more than two goals in any of the last 10 occasions it has been played. Naturally, the odds favour a high-scoring match given Bordeaux’s history this season, but they had a stuffier attitude about them in a 1-0 loss to Marseille last weekend.

Furthermore, Rennes have started they year quite in front of goal, with only one of their last four games in all competitions producing even more than a single strike. A small bet on Unders appears the way forward then.

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Lorient v Angers

Lorient are set for their opening match of 2022 a week later than scheduled as an extensive outbreak of Covid meant that their fixture with Lille last weekend was postponed. Similarly, Angers’ match with Saint-Etienne was called off, putting them in an identical position.

Neither club finished 2021 well. Lorient are 13 without a win in all competitions and only stopped an eight-game losing streak with a brave 1-1 home draw against Paris Saint-Germain three days before Christmas. Angers, meanwhile, have lost all of their last three.

The visitors, though, have lost only twice away from home this season in 10 trips. Six of these have ended in draws.

In terms of team news, Angers are set to be without only Sofiane Boufal and Romain Thomas from their regular starting XI, whereas the hosts are without experienced lynchpins Jeremy Morel and Fabien Lemoine, both of whom are injured.

Lorient are a side typically revered for their home performances, but they have failed to win in six at Stade du Moustoir, which combined with Angers’ solid away record suggests the visitors should leave with something on Sunday.

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Monaco v Clermont

New Monaco head coach Philippe Clement kicked off his new job with a scoreless draw against Nantes last weekend, which was a solid but unspectacular start to his reign. Clermont, meanwhile, were involved in the other 0-0 draw of the weekend as they defied a first-half red card to enjoy the better moments against Reims.

Although Monaco won the previous meeting between these sides 3-1, they were given a severe examination by Clermont, whose technical brand of football continues to impress even if results have not been as strong as they were earlier in the season.

Both teams, though, are rather feeling their way back to action after the winter break. Monaco have been hit with Covid issues, including to leading scorer Wissam Ben Yedder, rendering him a doubt prior to this match. Without him, they mustered only one shot on target in Nantes last weekend and carried minimal threat.

Conversely, Clermont continued to be creative against Reims even when down to 10 men but are sorely lacking cutting edge to their play without Mohamed Bayo, their leading marksman, who is away on international duty.

After both clubs drew an uninspiring blank last weekend, there is no guarantee of goals here.

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Reims v Metz

Reims and Metz both head into Sunday’s fixture aiming for better than they managed last weekend.

The hosts were held to a 0-0 draw by 10-man Clermont away from home, but the most disappointing aspect of their performance was how little control they exerted over the game. Nevertheless, they are on a run of just one defeat in their last 10 matches in all competitions and have moved comfortably away from the relegation dogfight for the moment.

Metz, meanwhile, are in far greater difficulty. Beaten 2-0 at home by Strasbourg last Sunday, they were comprehensively outplayed in that match, offering virtually nothing as an attacking threat.

Both clubs come into this match depleted by injury and international call ups, but it is Metz who continue to suffer the worst. Adding to their woes is the news that defenders Jemerson and Fabien Centonze are set to miss out, meaning only Thomas Delaine is left standing in their regular back five.

Although Ibrahim Amadou has been signed by Metz to fill a void, his arrival seems something of a desperation signing, even at this juncture. Meanwhile, new Reims addition Jens Cajuste is ready to start and appears an altogether more measured arrival.

Victory would carry Reims decisively away from danger, and they should take the three points.

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Strasbourg v Montpellier

Strasbourg and Montpellier meet for the second time already in 2022, having been pitted together in the Coupe de France on the opening weekend of the year. It was Montpellier who came out on top 1-0 on that occasion, and the visitors will feel good about their chances of securing another positive result in this encounter.

Montpellier, after all, are on a six-game winning streak in all competitions, scoring 12 goals in their last four Ligue 1 matches and looking highly accomplished in the process. Furthermore, they have a squad that is one of the healthiest in the league and are missing only one player because of international duty.

Strasbourg’s form, too, has been useful, though their shortcomings were perhaps masked last weekend by the fact that they were playing an incredibly depleted Metz side, which they managed to overcome 2-0.

Ludovic Ajorque was vital to their success in that match, scoring one and laying on another, but the striker, who has been touted to win France honours in the coming year, will miss this match because of a ban. Habib Diallo is away on international duty, leaving Kevin Gameiro the only senior attacking option.

With the defence depleted by injury – Racing could be without three of their five starters – their challenge against Montpellier appears to be a very difficult one.

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Troyes v Lyon

Bruno Irles will take charge of Troyes for the first time on Sunday, with the former Quevilly boss dropped in at the deep end for his debut managing in France’s top flight. Known for his ability to bring through youth talent and his preference for a 4-4-2 system, he promises to be a leap away from Laurent Batlles, who left shortly before Christmas.

There is an element of the unknown in terms of what Troyes might produce in this game, particularly since the physical condition of their players is under question after their fixture against Montpellier last weekend was postponed because of a Covid-19 cluster in their squad.

Equally, the performances of Lyon have been volatile over the course of the campaign, although they have found consistency in picking up five successive draws against various standards of opponents.

Anyone who watched Lyon earn a point against Paris Saint-Germain last weekend, though, could not help to have been impressed by their performance and be optimistic that there are better things just around the corner.

But OL are struggling for goals, netting only three in their last four games, which have all been low-scoring affairs.

Equally, four of Troyes’ last six Ligue 1 matches have produced under 2.5 goals, which is the best bet for this one.

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Marseille v Lille

Ligue 1’s showcase match of the weekend pits Marseille against defending champions Lille, who have started to perform better than their mid-table position might suggest.

The season started out with Marseille being a freewheeling offensive team, but recent weeks have seen them become far dourer and more defensive. Their results may not have suffered – they have lost only one of their last 10 in the league – but the entertainment value in watching them certainly has.

Of OM’s last nine league matches, only a single one has seen more than two goals scored.

Centre forward Cedric Bakambu has been signed to help remedy this issue, but having arrived from China without having played since August , he will do well to have an immediate impact.

Lille, meanwhile, have a reputation for playing tight games. Indeed, only twice in the league have their matches seen a team win by more than a single goal. One of these was their 2-0 home success against OM in October.

Numerous members of their squad are set to return after illness, including top scorer Jonathan David and key midfielders Benjamin Andre and Xeka. Any physical weakness still apparent will hamper them breaking down a defence that has kept seven cleansheets in its last nine Ligue 1 matches.

All the indications suggest this will be a game with little to pick between the clubs.

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