Clermont vs Lille prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2022-12-27 18:00.
Pascal Gastien admits his Clermont side are roughly where he expected them to be after nearly half of the Ligue 1 campaign played. The Lancers, who finished only four points above the relegation zone last season, are in mid-table ahead of their return from a six-week break for the World Cup, a position the boss says “reflects what we are capable of doing.”
Only six points separates Clermont and the bottom three however, and if a winless run of five matches (D3, L2) becomes extended further, that cushion will be quickly swallowed up. Their poor recent form is largely down to their inability to keep a clean sheet, managing just three in 15 league outings, while no team in the top half of the division has conceded more than their 23 goals.
Clermont are far from the only side with defensive concerns though, as their opponents here Lille are the other side in the top ten whose defence has been breached 23 times this season. That’s not stopped manager Paulo Fonseca being linked with the Portugal job though, with reports suggesting he is being lined up to replace Fernando Santos following a disappointing World Cup campaign.
The boss will hope that speculation doesn’t detract from his team’s preparations for this game, as they look to build on a strong run of four wins in six games before the international break (D1, L1). That has pushed the Mastiffs up to seventh place, but their recent away form is a concern, as they have lost three of their last four outings on their travels (W1), whilst scoring one or fewer in each of those defeats.
Players to watch: Komnen Andrić has netted four times since his summer move to Clermont and is now undefeated in his last 13 goalscoring appearances (W10, D3). On a similar theme, Jonathan David – back with the Mastiffs after representing Canada at the World Cup – has won 11 of his last 12 goalscoring appearances at club level (L1).
Hot streak: Eight consecutive league games involving Clermont have seen both teams score.