MARK O’Haire (@MarkOHaire) was on the money with last weekend’s Ligue 1’s tips. More of the same this week please Mark!
Marseille v Evian | Saturday 15.30
Three defeats in five Ligue 1 games has put the brakes on Marseille’s title bid in France. Marcelo Bielsa’s men won 11 of their first 15 games under the Argentine boss but those three losses on the road have seen OM slide into second and four points off table-topping Lyon.
But Les Phocéens remain a force on home soil and this Saturday they welcome Evian to the Stade Velodrome. BetVictor have made Marseille available to back at 11/10 with a -1.5 Asian Handicap start and at that price, it’s a bet worth snapping up.
OM’s Ligue 1 record in front of their supporters is hugely impressive with 10 consecutive victories now, their best run at home since 1948. They’ve notched at least two goals in each win and although last home outing against Guingamp wasn’t quite so straightforward, eight of their 14 wins this season have been by a margin of two goals or more.
Visitors Evian make the journey south on the back of a 1-0 home win against depleted Toulouse. But when playing away, the Savoy Crosses are a different side. Pascal Dupraz’s charges have lost nine of their 11 road fixtures, conceding 25 goals.
Eight of Evian’s 14 losses have been by margins of two goals or more and that includes nine of their 11 defeats to top-half Ligue 1 clubs this season. It’s difficult not to make a case for a repeat on Saturday afternoon.
Bordeaux v Guingamp | Sunday 16.00 | ESPN
On Sunday, Bordeaux will hope to end a five-game spell without a win by seeing off resurgent Guingamp. Just two wins in nine have seen Willy Sagnol’s side slide out of contention for a European qualification place but they remain a profitable side to follow in the Both Teams To Score column.
Les Girondins have seen 14/22 (64%) league fixtures feature goals for both sides and that figure increases to 80% when looking at their 10 matches at Stade Chaban-Delmas. With Ladbrokes making Both Teams To Score available to back at evens, there’s already plenty to get excited about.
Guingamp’s trends might not be quite as strong as Bordeaux’s but six of Jocelyn Gourvennec’s team’s 10 road trips have featured BTTS and they’ve only failed to net twice in their last 13 Ligue 1 matches. Add in all competitions and the visitors have scored in 11 of their last 12. Bosh!
What’s more, EAG have kept just the one clean sheet when playing away this season and so the chances of another Both Teams To Score winner look a lot stronger than the even-money on offer.
Best Bets
Marseille v Evian – Marseille -1.5 Asian Handicap (11/10 BetVictor)
Bordeaux v Guingamp – Both Teams To Score (1/1 Ladbrokes)
