Nice vs Montpellier Prediction: Team News and Lineups Preview

After a full house last week, bettingexpert Football Editor, Sam Ingram, joins host Daniel Jenkins for another couple of tips for this weekend’s action. The boys pick apart the Manchester Derby and discuss the gloom amongst the doom at Torquay United.

The tips look at all three Premier League title contender’s chances on the weekend either side of a surprise quiz that may cost Sam his reputation as a tipster…

• You can watch the video of this podcast on our YouTube channel
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Nice vs Montpellier Tip 1: Nice to show their class and claim first win in six games

France, Ligue 1, Friday 8th February, 20:00 (UK)

Nice have endured their worst run of the season and they are winless in five Ligue 1 fixtures. Every team goes on a poor run at some stage during the season, though, and it was always going to happen. If we delve deeper then it’s clear that Les Aiglons have not suddenly become a bad team overnight.

Their last five fixtures have contained the likes of Monaco, Brest and Lyon, which are not easy games. The one bad result was a 0-0 at home to struggling Clermont, but it was a game that contained a lot of chances for Nice. They still have a very strong home record with seven wins out of 12 and just one defeat.

Nice have only conceded five goals at home, and despite some recent wobbles, they still have a defence which must be respected. Quite simply, they are the better of the two teams here. Montpellier have been struggling all season and only won 2 of their last 15 games in Ligue 1; both against the same side Metz. Their away form is fairly rotten, and the last time they played on the road, Marseille easily dismantled them 4-1. Montpellier gives up too many chances and too many goals.

Nice should show their extra quality and class to get back to winning ways. Backing them straight on the nose to win looks very acceptable at odds of 1.75.

• Nice vs Montpellier Tip 1: Nice to Win (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 1.75
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 9/10

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Nice vs Montpellier Tip 2: Half time stalemate always good value with Nice

No team in Ligue 1 has more draws at half-time than Nice. Fifteen of their 24 fixtures have been all square at the interval, and the main reason for that is their tactics. Nice have been extremely strong defensively this season, but they don’t always attack with more risks until after the break. Manager Francesco Farioli likes to feel out the opposition in the early stages, and this often leads to a cagey first half.

Nice might be down on confidence a bit, so this theory probably applies even more in a match where they will be focusing on not conceding any sloppy goals.

This is a real clash of stats because Montpellier have only been drawing at HT in 6 of their 24 fixtures which is the fewest of any team. They were level 0-0 with Strasbourg at the interval last week, though, and only a 43rd-minute goal prevented them from being all square with Marseille the round before.

Montpellier is not a team that is very confident at the moment, and they will be happy to sit back and stay in the game as long as possible here. We could see a tight first period before I expect Nice to put their foot down after the break. The odds of 2.20 are too high to resist having a nibble for the HT draw.

• Nice vs Montpellier Tip 2: Draw at HT (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 2.20
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 8/10

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Nice vs Montpellier Tip 3: Nice defense to return to impenetrable ways

Taking Nice to win to nil could be a value bet at 2.75 here, but I think taking BTTS no is probably the safer bet. Nice have drawn five matches 0-0 this season and that scoreline is always a risk with Les Aiglons.

I suspect their defensive strength will be on show here. Manager Francesco Farioli would have been fuming at how they defended last week vs Toulouse, and I think the home team will get back to basics and get back to what they are doing best; shutting the opposition out. Nice have managed to keep a massive nine out of 12 clean sheets at home this season, and I don’t expect Montpellier to get too many chances here.

The visitors tend to miss too many opportunities anyway and can’t be relied upon to hit the back of the net with any authority. I think this is going to be a low-scoring contest, and the betting decision is whether to take under 2.5 goals or BTTS no.

I have opted to take the latter option because I just think the chances of a Nice clean sheet are very high. Montpellier makes too many mistakes, and I could see something like a late 3-0 being a possibility, which would scupper any under-backers. The 1-0 and 2-0 correct scores are very possible here. This isn’t going to be a particularly exciting match, but Nice should rebound and go about their business with the minimum of fuss.

• Nice vs Montpellier Tip 3: BTTS – No (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 1.80
• Bookmaker: Bet365
• Stake: 7/10

Nice vs Montpellier Prediction odds via bet365 as at 10:30, February 4th, 2024. Odds may now differ.

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Nice vs Montpellier Team News and Possible Lineups: Ndayishimiye return a boost for Nice

Nice midfielder Youssouf Ndayishimiye missed last week’s defeat at Toulouse due to suspension but should return here. Nice are otherwise in fairly decent health.

Montpellier have no new injuries or suspensions at the time of writing and could be unchanged in a 4-2-3-1 system.

Nice possible starting lineup: Bulka, Bard, Dante, Todibo, Lotomba, Boudaoui, Ndayishimiye, Thuram, Boga, Moffi, Guessand

Montpellier possible starting lineup: Lecomte, Sylla, Sagnan, Kouyate, Tchato, Chotard, Ferri, Nordin, Al-Tamari, Savanier, Adams

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The Predicted Nice vs Montpellier Ligue 1 Standings by BETSiE

Our in-house predictive model, BETSiE, has had a go at predicting the Ligue 1 standings ahead of the Nice vs Montpellier, currently 5th vs 16th, fixture by utilising the underlying data from the 2023/24 season up until this point.

For more league-specific BETSiE content including standings, probabilities and predictions, visit her page here – it’s worth it.

Nice vs Montpellier Standings Prediction

Position	Club	Games	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Paris SG	34	22.6	8.1	3.4	79.0	32.6	46.4	75.8
2	Brest	34	17.7	9.7	6.6	51.3	28.6	22.7	62.8
3	Monaco	34	16.8	7.7	9.6	60.9	48.2	12.7	57.9
4	Nice	34	16.0	9.8	8.2	37.6	26.8	10.8	57.7
5	Lille	34	15.0	10.8	8.1	49.0	31.9	17.1	55.9
6	Lens	34	15.0	8.5	10.5	48.5	38.7	9.8	53.6
7	Marseille	34	13.6	11.7	8.7	50.8	36.1	14.7	52.6
8	Rennes	34	13.3	10.9	9.9	49.5	40.7	8.8	50.6
9	Reims	34	14.1	6.7	13.2	44.9	46.2	-1.2	49.1
10	Lyon	34	11.9	6.6	15.5	40.8	52.2	-11.4	42.4
11	Toulouse	34	9.6	10.7	13.7	38.7	47.5	-8.8	39.4
12	Montpellier	34	9.3	10.6	14.1	41.3	46.9	-5.6	38.5
13	Strasbourg	34	9.5	9.9	14.6	35.7	50.0	-14.4	38.4
14	Nantes	34	10.2	6.7	17.1	35.2	50.4	-15.2	37.3
15	Le Havre	34	8.2	11.6	14.2	36.6	47.7	-11.0	36.1
16	Lorient	34	7.3	9.5	17.3	41.5	63.8	-22.3	31.3
17	Clermont	34	5.8	10.5	17.7	28.6	55.8	-27.2	28.0
18	Metz	34	6.3	7.8	19.9	28.5	54.4	-25.9	26.7

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Match Stats: Nice happy to return to home comforts

• Montpellier have only beaten one team (Metz) in their last 15 Ligue 1 games.
• Nice are now winless in five consecutive Ligue 1 fixtures.
• Nice have only conceded five home goals all season in 14 games.
• Montpellier have lost 7 out of 11 on the road.

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Nice Fixtures: Some crunch games coming up for Nice

• Vs PSG (A) French Cup
• Vs Lens (A)
• Vs Nantes (H)
• Vs Reims (A)
• Vs Marseille (A)

Montpellier Fixtures: Relegation battle ‘six pointers’ on the horizon

• Vs PSG (H)
• Vs Le Havre (A)
• Vs Lorient (H)
• Vs Clermont (A)
• Vs Reims (A)

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