Nice vs St Etienne prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2024-09-19 18:45.
[p]It’s not been the quick start to life under new boss Franck Haise that Nice would have hoped for having finished fifth in Ligue 1 last season. Winning just one of their first four games this term (D1, L2) despite scoring first in all bar one, Les Aiglons’s start has been somewhat underwhelming, and given they are yet to record a clean sheet this season, they’ve got a clear area of improvement.[/p]
[p]Haise’s side have been quick to sacrifice a lead so far this term, but concerningly they’re also still yet to net an equaliser after falling behind. That would place added emphasis on them hitting the front here, and with Nice’s UEFA Europa League campaign opening up in the wake of this clash against St. Étienne, they’ll be keen to build some positive momentum here by improving upon their already healthy record of just one defeat from the last seven home H2Hs (W4, D2).[/p]
[p]Promoted via the play-offs last season, Les Verts opened up their first top-flight campaign since 2021/22 in the worst possible fashion, losing their opening three league games without netting a single goal! They did at least pick up their first goal and victory with a surprise 1-0 win against Lille on matchday four, but they still remain the division’s lowest scorers thanks to that solitary goal.[/p]
[p]On the back of that win, they head to the Allianz Riviera on Friday night searching for back-to-back top-flight wins for the first time since February 2022. One positive omen in that quest comes in the fact that manager Olivier Dall’Oglio has lost just one of his last eight games in the dugout against Nice (W4, D3), while he also lost just two of eight H2Hs with Les Aiglons during his playing days (W3, D3)![/p]
[p]Players to watch: Nice defender Jonathan Clauss is unbeaten in four league H2Hs with St Etienne, recording an assist in each of his last two such meetings. Summer signing Pierre Cornud has been booked in each of St Etienne’s last two matches, with four of his last six club appearances ending with his name in the referee’s notebook.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Nice have won just three of their nine league home games so far in 2024 (D2, L4), scoring 2+ goals only twice.[/p]
[p][i]Written by Ben Olawumi[/i][/p]