Auxerre vs Monaco prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2022-12-27 16:00.
The World Cup break arrived at an optimal time for relegation contenders Auxerre despite a reasonably promising start to a new managerial era at the club. It allowed new head coach Christophe PĂ©lissier a month to further stamp his authority and direction on a squad that had only one player (Ghanaian right-back Gideon Mensah) feature at the World Cup.
Losing 5-0 away to star-studded PSG, as Auxerre did prior to the intermission, is not really an embarrassment for a Ligue 1 club nowadays, so it may be quickly forgotten. Especially as points against Ajaccio (W 1-0) and away to Troyes (D 1-1) began Pélissier’s reign on the right path, but correcting their dreadful D1, L7 league record against top-half clubs (at the start of the round) should go a long way towards surviving the expanded four-club relegation zone of 2022/23.
Monaco lost six players to World Cup duty, but even the likes of Frenchman Axel Disasi and Youssouf Fofana may be fine to return immediately after playing just brief cameos in the World Cup final. Dropping points on a regular basis against fellow top-four hopefuls has continued to frustrate them this season, and saw Philippe Clement’s men enter the break nine points adrift of a direct path to the next Champions League group stage.
Monaco will therefore welcome the opportunity to continue their perfect W4 record as Ligue 1 away favourites, all four of which were accompanied by clean sheets. Whilst their defence was difficult to breach throughout those 360 minutes, their forwards still took some time to make an impact – all but one of their eight goals across those four wins ended up being scored after half-time.
Players to watch: Auxerre fans ought to be excited to see how quickly M’Baye Niang can add to his two league goals after scoring a remarkable four times in less than ten minutes during a recent friendly win over Ligue 2 club Metz. Scorer of two goals at the recent World Cup, Breel Embolo has scored in the 45th minute or later in three of Monaco’s last four Ligue 1 away wins.
Hot stat: Monaco recorded more Ligue 1 opening goals (11) than all but PSG during the first 15 rounds, whilst Auxerre have just three.