Lyon vs Clermont prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2022-12-31 16:00.
Sitting well adrift of the European places, Lyon have underperformed this season. Fans will have every right to be concerned, as the last three times they’ve claimed 24 points or less at this stage they’ve not finished higher than fifth. A 4-2 win at relegation-threatened Brest in midweek has helped them get back on track after a two-game winless streak (D1, L1), although coach Laurent Blanc remains cautious, stating post-match that “not all problems are solved”.
Eager to build on that victory, a return to Groupama Stadium will be most welcome for Lyon who have lost just one league game there this campaign (W5, D2). Much of their home success has been built on great defensive performances, with no Ligue 1 team conceding fewer than Les Gones’ six home league goals in 2022/23. It's also impressively been 16 years since they lost their first home league game of a calendar year (W10, D5).
Clermont have progressed this season by accruing five points more than they had at this same stage in 2021/22. However, only six points separate them from the bottom four and if a winless run of six games (D3, L3) is extended further, then they could quickly find themselves involved in a relegation battle. Despite the 2-0 defeat to Lille on Thursday, coach Pascal Gastien remains confident that his team are heading in the right direction, declaring they "will soon win".
Playing away from home won’t bother Clermont too much as they’ve picked up 47% of their Ligue 1 points on their travels (W2, D2, L3) while rescuing a league-best average of 1.33 away points after trailing at half-time (W1, D1, L1). Gastien's men lost 2-1 to Lyon in the last round of 2021/22, although their Ligue 1 status was already assured, and a 3-3 draw in the corresponding H2H last season does hint that another upset is possible.
Players to watch: On a ten-game league drought, Moussa Dembélé could be one to watch, as he scored three goals for Lyon across the two H2Hs last season, all within 30 minutes. He’s up against Clermont’s lucky charm, Komnen Andrić, who is now undefeated in his last 14 goalscoring appearances (W10, D4).
Hot stat: A league-high 79% of the match goals in Clermont’s matches were scored after half-time.