Lorient vs Clermont prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2024-05-18 19:00.
[p]Having struggled to put points on the board all season, a run of seven consecutive defeats finds Lorient teetering on the brink of relegation from Ligue 1. Heading into the final match round, they now need to win, see Metz lose to PSG, and for there to be a seven-goal swing in their favour to avoid automatic relegation. Even then, they would still be involved in the relegation play-off.[/p]
[p]If Régis Le Bris’ side were to lose on Sunday, they’d set an unwanted club record of eight straight Ligue 1 defeats in a row, having already lost the last five top-flight league home games on the spin for the first time ever. A positive, at least on that front, is the fact that Les Merlus are unbeaten in their last five final games of a Ligue 1 season (W2, D3).[/p]
[p]Visitors Clermont, a point worse off and bottom of the league, saw their own relegation confirmed with defeat against Lyon last time out, and have little to play for but pride here. Les Lanciers have actually conceded fewer than both Lorient & Metz, with goal scoring their problem all season. Drawing another blank against Lyon, they’ve now failed to score in 15 of their 33 league games this season, averaging fewer than 0.8 goals per game.[/p]
[p]With their fate sealed and the pressure off, Pascal Gastien’s side know that a victory against the odds here would at least see them avoid finishing rock bottom. Wins in the last two H2Hs, with clean sheets kept in both, including the reverse fixture back in November (1-0) would suggest that’s a realistic target too despite a seven match winless away league run (D2, L5).[/p]
[p]Key battle: Lorient goalkeeper Yvon Mvogo averages over four saves per game, but has kept just three clean sheets all season, meaning that Lorient have kept the fewest shutouts of any club in the division. When Clermont do score, Muhammed Cham is usually involved, as he’s scored eight and assisted three of their 26 league goals so far this term (42% involvement).[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Clermont have trailed at half-time in a joint-league high ten away games this season.[/p]