Monaco vs Clermont prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2024-05-03 15:00.
[p]Monaco will be desperate to get back to winning ways as they attempt to secure their highest Ligue 1 finish in six years. The Red and Whites saw an eight-match unbeaten run (W6, D2) come to an end last weekend when they suffered a 3-2 defeat to Lyon, but they still finished the previous round in second place in the table with a two-point cushion ahead of Brest in third.[/p]
[p]Whilst they have at no point come close to challenging Paris St-Germain for the title, manager Adi Hütter insists that ending the campaign as runners-up would still constitute a success. He will therefore be hoping for a response as his side return to Stade Louis II, where they have found victories tough to come by of late, managing just two from their last eight attempts (D3, L3).[/p]
[p]Such a record should provide hope to opponents Clermont, who may not otherwise fancy this matchup after losing seven of the ten previous H2Hs (W1, D2). That does not bode well for a team who are desperate for points in their battle for survival. The visitors make the trip to the French Riviera at the bottom of Ligue 1 and with only three games to make up a four-point gap on Le Havre in 15th.[/p]
[p]Pascal Gastien’s side were at least boosted by a surprise 4-1 win over Reims last weekend, a result that ended a run of four matches without success (D2, L2). However, defeat in this fixture could spell the end of their three-year stint in the top flight, meaning they are under huge pressure to find their first victory in seven games away from home (D2, L4), a period which saw them score just two goals.[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Monaco’s Takumi Minamino is enjoying his best league goalscoring season since 2016/17, with six of his eight strikes coming in winning causes (W5, D1, L1). Clermont’s Muhammed Cham is also enjoying a fine campaign, netting seven times so far. Eight of his last ten goals have come before the break, six of which were the first of the game.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Monaco scored goals in both halves of 17 of their 31 Ligue 1 games this season, a joint-high for this division.[/p]