Le Havre vs Auxerre prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2024-08-31 15:00.
[p]Le Havre responded to a 4-1 thumping at the hands of PSG on the opening day by beating Saint-Étienne 2-0 last weekend, as Didier Digard earned his first win in charge. The Sky and Navy now return to the Stade Océane to face newly-promoted Auxerre, though this fixture is one they’ve struggled in of late, winning just one of their last four H2Hs (D2, L1).[/p]
[p]If they are victorious this weekend, it will mark Le Havre’s first set of back-to-back victories in the top-flight since August 2008. That’s by no means assured however, as the loss to PSG marked a fifth home loss across their last six matches here dating back to last season, when they narrowly escaped relegation. Digard, who was a tenacious tackler as a player, will hope that he can instil some of his combative style into his players to avoid a repeat of 2023/24, and the early signs are there, as only Brest and Montpellier have picked up more yellow cards than their six in the first two rounds of this season. [/p]
[p]After the high of coming from behind to stun Nice on the opening weekend, Auxerre were brought back down to earth by a 2-0 defeat against Nantes in which forward Ado Onaiwu was sent off. That stretched their winless away sequence in Ligue 1 to four matches (D1, L3) including their previous stint in the top-flight, so manager Christophe PĂ©lissier will be impatient to snap that particular streak.[/p]
[p]This looks to be the ideal fixture then as Auxerre have lost just three of their 28 meetings with Le Havre in Ligue 1 (W17, D8). AJA could make a piece of history by winning two of their first three games in a top-flight season since 2005/06, but defensive reinforcement could help in that regard as they’ve conceded at least once in each of their last ten Ligue 1 games – the club’s worst such run since February 2011 (14 matches).[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Le Havre’s Abdoulaye TourĂ© opened the scoring at Saint-Étienne, but that was the only time in his last five scoring appearances that his side have gone on to win (D2, L2). After netting the winner off the bench against Nice and coming on for a longer cameo at Nantes, Lasso Coulibaly is certainly in the frame for his full Auxerre debut – his last four goals have all come beyond the 30th minute. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: Auxerre haven’t led at half-time in any of their last six Ligue 1 matches. [/p]
[p][i]Written by Alex Bowmer[/i][/p]