Early Bird Tips for Ligue 1: Lyon Woes Never Too Far Away

Check out the best early bird tips for Ligue 1 on matchday eight, with our expert Steve Wyss.

OGC Nice are one of two unbeaten teams left in the division and will be aiming to beat off newly promoted Metz on Saturday afternoon. Elsewhere, New Marseille manager Gennaro Gattuso will be looking for his first Ligue 1 victory, but could they be flat after taking on Brighton in the Europa League?

Meanwhile, the Lyon nightmare is getting worse, but they continue to be short-priced favourites.

• Early Bird Metz vs Nice: Nice to Win
• Early Bird Marseille vs Le Havre: Le Havre +1 Asian Handicap
• Early Bird Lyon vs Lorient: Lorient +0.75 Asian Handicap

Acca odds: 6.79

Odds via bet365 as at 22:57 Monday 2nd October. Odds may now differ.

Metz vs Nice: Unbeaten Aiglons to show their class against promoted Metz

France Ligue 1, Saturday 7th October, 16:00 (UK)

Nice could only draw 0-0 at home to Brest last week, but they remain unbeaten and are only one point off the top-of-the-table outfit Monaco. It has been a strong start to life on the south coast for new manager Francesco Farioli. Les Aiglons have the best defensive record in Ligue 1 and only conceded four goals all season, with half of those away vs PSG. A massive 6 out of 7 fixtures have ended with under 2.5 goals, and their matches average just 1.70 goals per game, the least of any team. Farioli’s style of control has led to more organized games, slower and overall less frantic.

Nice have a legitimately strong defence this season, and have the best xGA of any side (5.87). This is a mismatch because Metz have been one of the most toothless teams in the division. They’ve only netted seven goals in seven games and have the lowest xG of any side.

There’s a very good chance that Nice will keep a clean sheet in this fixture, and backing them to win to nil could carry some value. Let’s keep it simple here, though, and take the visitors straight on the nose to win at 1.80.

• Selection: Nice to Win
• Best Odds: 1.80
• Bookmaker: Unibet

Marseille vs Le Havre: European hangover means the visitors Hav-re a great chance

France Ligue 1, Sunday 8th October, 12:00 (UK)

Marseille have been chaotic this season, as they always are. Despite an unbeaten domestic start to the campaign, new manager Marcelino resigned early into the season, and OM were left managerless heading into the Europa League fixture vs Ajax and Les Classique in Paris. They have now hired Gennaro Gattuso as their new boss. The former AC Milan and Napoli head coach certainly has the type of thick skin required to manage Marseille and has the sort of character which the fans could get behind. He started with a 2-3 defeat away to Monaco, but there were some encouraging signs.

Marseille have been dealt a poor hand here. They have to face Brighton in the Europa League on Thursday night, which is sure to be an action-packed game. At the time of writing, we don’t know the result of that clash, but whatever happens, it will have tested the physical and mental resolve of the squad.

They now have a rapid turnaround to play at midday on Sunday. Le Havre will travel here with a very defensive game plan and try to suck the life out of proceedings. Marseille have more individual quality, but this feels like a close type of game in which Le Havre could get something out of, or at worst, lose by a close margin. That makes the +1 Asian Handicap quite appealing because this is definitely an excellent time for them to face OM. They are unbeaten away and could prove to be an annoying test for Gattuso’s men.

• Selection: Le Havre +1 Asian Handicap
• Best Odds: 1.96
• Bookmaker: bet365

Lyon vs Lorient: Winless Lyon again far too short to prevail

France Ligue 1, Sunday 8th October, 14:00 (UK)

Lyon lost yet again last week as they fell to a 0-2 defeat away to Reims. It has been a disastrous start to the season for Les Gones, and they are now bottom of the Ligue 1 table on goal difference. This is obviously not acceptable for a club of their stature, but it highlights where they are as a club right now: a mess both on and off the pitch. New manager Fabio Grosso has started with losses away to Brest and Reims and now has his first home fixture in charge. He will be desperate to immediately win over the fans at Groupama Stadium, but the atmosphere could be potentially toxic.

Travelling here is a Lorient side who are not in especially good form. They lost 0-3 vs Montpellier last week and have only won one of their league games so far this season. They have the potential to be dangerous on the counter-attack in a fixture like this, though. They will aim to soak up some pressure and force Lyon into making all the running. It’s astonishing to see the home side as short as 1.65 to win. Who on earth could back them at those odds against anyone right now?

Lorient have drawn on both of their last two visits to this stadium and are capable of avoiding defeat again. They can be backed on a +0.75 Asian Handicap, which is extremely generous and even offers half-loss security in case of a one-goal Lyon victory.

• Selection: Lorient +0.75 Asian Handicap
• Best Odds: 1.98
• Bookmaker: bet365

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