Clermont vs Montpellier prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2022-11-05 14:00.
Mid-table Clermont are in the midst of their longest winless run of this Ligue 1 campaign (D2, L1), including two games against bottom half clubs, which could soon threaten what was a decent start to the new season. Pascal Gastien’s men are still sitting in the top half of the table coming into the round and will be looking to get back on track here against a Montpellier side who they have defeated in four of the last six league meetings (L2).
Gastien will be eager to see a better start from his team after a bad habit of being slow out of the traps at home this season. Clermont have led at half-time in just one of their six home league games, while just two of their seven strikes at the Gabriel Montpied Stadium have come before the break. This is one of the crucial catalysts for why Clermont are second only to Angers for Ligue 1 defeats in front of their own fans this calendar year (nine).
That’ll give a boost to a struggling Montpellier side who, coincidentally, carry the unwanted title of being the side to have lost more Ligue 1 away games than any other club in the year 2022 (13). They are also staring down the barrel of a potential sixth successive Ligue 1 defeat for the first time since March 2004.
The club’s hierarchy would have hoped relieving manager Olivier Dall’Oglio of his duties midway through last month would have had a more positive impact, but fears of a relegation scrap will now be starting to grow. The task of easing those fears will fall at the feet of interim manager Romain Pitau who perhaps, above all else, needs to find a way to shore up the division’s third-worst defence after 13 rounds; their 27 goals conceded is the club’s joint-highest at this stage of any Ligue 1 season.
Key battle: Clermont goalkeeper Mory Diaw was forced into eight saves in his last home appearance, contributing to his combined total of 51 which is the second-highest across the league coming into the round. Forward Elye Wahi will be trying to get the better of him, particularly after two second-half goals across his last four Montpellier matches prior to last week’s one-game suspension.
Hot stat: Clermont (189) and Montpellier (177) are the most fouled Ligue 1 teams this season.