Le Havre vs Reims prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2024-02-24 14:00.
Now winless in four league matches (D2, L2), Le Havre’s position of relative mid-table security is becoming increasingly tenuous, especially with the three teams immediately below them all winning in the previous round. The gap to the bottom three is now just two points, so Le Club Doyen remain at risk of having their Ligue 1 stay cut short after only one season for the third straight time at this level.
A return to Stade OcĂ©ane may boost Le Havre’s hopes, as they’ve emerged victorious in three of their last four competitive outings there, even though they’ve failed to keep a clean sheet in that run. It has, however, been over a decade since the Normandy outfit defeated upcoming opponents Reims at home, with each of the last three such H2Hs ending all-square – twice with Le Havre squandering a lead within the final 15 minutes of normal time.
Reims enter this clash with identically poor four-game Ligue 1 form (D2, L2), although their nine-point gap to the bottom three suggests that they don’t need to look over their shoulders yet. In fact, Les Rouges et Blancs haven’t had more than their current 31-point haul at this stage in six of their last seven Ligue 1 campaigns, a stat secured by their hard-fought 1-1 draw against European hopefuls Lens last Sunday.
Just five points from the top six themselves, Reims could yet mount a surprise challenge for Europe if they can begin to reverse the recent downturn in results. A solid away record against sides starting the round below Le Havre (W2, D2, L1) suggests that Will Still’s men are likely to travel west with confidence, especially as they’ve also overcome their league underdog status on the road in almost half of their applicable matches (W3, L4) in 2023/24.
Players to watch: André Ayew has been heavily involved for Le Havre of late, scoring three goals and accruing two yellow cards across his last five appearances. Meanwhile, both of Keito Nakamura’s goals since arriving at Reims have been the eventual winners, the most recent of which came in their 1-0 reverse victory.
Hot stat: Le Havre have failed to score in a league-high 11 games this term (50%).