PSG already have a five-point buffer at the summit of Ligue 1 as we head into week six. Can anyone realistically challenge them this season?
There were a couple of surprise results last weekend with Lyon dropping points against Caen and Toulouse holding Monaco to a draw. Other than that, however, it was business as usual for PSG and Marseille who both recorded 4-0 wins.
This weekend’s fixtures are dominated by Sunday’s clash between Lyon and Marseille. PSG, meanwhile, will look to continue their fine start to the season away at Stade Rennais while Guingamp look for their first points of the season at home against Bordeaux.
Friday 21 September
Monaco 13/20
Draw 3/1
Nimes 15/4
The men from the Principality wobbled once again last week, surrendering a one-goal lead away at Toulouse as the match finished 1-1. The result leaves them languishing in 15th place with a just a single win to their name this season. A chance for redemption beckons at home against newly-promoted Nimes.
Nimes were involved in in the match of week four as they drew 3-3 away at Bordeaux, coming from behind to equalise on two occasions. They have shown us this season that they enjoy a little comeback after coming from 3-1 down to beat Angers 4-3 on the opening weekend. Write them off at your own peril.
Despite the efforts that they’ve displayed in the face of adversity, I’m backing Monaco to come good here at 13/20.
Saturday 22 September
Lille 8/10
Draw 51/20
Nantes 7/2
Lille’s fine start to the 2018/19 campaign continued as they beat Amiens 3-2 away from home. Nicolas Pepe grabbed a hat-trick with two of those goals coming from the spot. The one worry for Christophe Galtier following that win would have been the two late goals his team conceded to take the gloss off of things.
Nantes’ indifferent start to the season continued this past weekend as they were held to a 0-0 draw at home by Reims. In truth, they probably should have come away with more than a point for all of their dominance. They were perhaps also lucky to concede midway through the second half as Reims had a goal chalked off for offside.
Lille all day here, 8/10 is a great price!
St-Etienne 6/10
Draw 11/4
Caen 47/10
St-Etienne were on the wrong end of a PSG hiding last week as Julian Draxler, Edinson Cavani, Angel Di Maria and Moussa Diaby all found the back of the net. The 4-0 defeat wouldn’t have bothered Jean-Louis Gasset too much. Not many teams will go to Paris this season and come away with anything less than a two-goal defeat.
Caen have the exact same record as St-Etienne, having won one, drawn three and lost one match. The Norman outfit are two goals better off, however, and occupy 13th place on the standings. There were plenty of fireworks last week as they drew 2-2 with Lyon, conceding an 88th-minute equaliser. They also finished the match with nine men following red cards
shown to Alexander Djiku for a dangerously high foot before Baissama Sankoh received his marching orders following a VAR referral showed him head-butting an opposition player.
St-Etienne look good value here, especially with two key Caen players absent through suspension.
Angers 13/10
Draw 43/20
Toulouse 23/10
Angers produced arguably their best performance of the season as they came from 1-0 down to cruise past high-flying Dijon 3-1. They’ve now gone two from two after losing all three of their opening games. This weekend’s clash against Toulouse should be a real tester.
Toulouse just keep surprising with their performances this season. After almost suffering relegation in 2017/18, they’ve started the new campaign with aplomb having claimed 10 points from five matches. They came from a goal down to grab an unlikely draw against Monaco last time out.
I really like the look of this Toulouse team. Back them to get the job done away from home at very generous odds of 23/10.
Montpellier 23/20
Draw 2/1
Nice 26/10
Montpellier’s ability to consistently draw games really is something to be commended (that was a joke). They drew a staggering 18 games last season and have drawn two of five this time around. They endured another stalemate at home last week against Strasbourg after conceding a 93rd minute equaliser. South African fans will be disappointed to learn that Keagan Dolly suffered a fracture to his tibia in the fixture ruling him out until December / January.
Nice have endured an underwhelming start to their campaign having won two, lost two and drawn one. Patrick Vieira’s side came from a goal down last week at home against Stade Rennais to run out 2-1 winners thanks to strikes from Allan Saint-Maximin and Pierre Lees-Melou. Both sides look pretty similar on paper.
A draw looks likely.
Strasbourg 15/20
Draw 24/10
Amiens 17/4
Strasbourg were lucky to come away with a share of the spoils last week at Montpellier as they snatched a late 1-1 draw. They’re still languishing at the wrong end of the table at this early stage and could really do with a few more wins. Opportunity knocks then as Amiens come calling.
Amiens scored two late goals against Lille last week which ultimately meant nothing as they lost 3-2, failing to complete what would have been a memorable comeback. Things look tricky again this weekend for them.
I don’t see many goals in this one. With that in mind take under 2.5 goals at 11/20.
Reims 5/4
Draw 22/10
Dijon 23/10
Reims grabbed a credible 0-0 draw away at Nantes last week as their fine start to the season continues. They occupy 10th spot on the standings and will be looking for a strong showing against another one of this season’s surprise packages, Dijon.
Dijon’s blistering start to the season has taken a knock in the last two weeks, losing against Caen and Angers at home. Whether or not they’ll find a bit more joy away from home this week remains to be seen.
Dijon may just enjoy the pressure release that come from playing in front of opposition fans. Back them to sneak a cheeky win here at 23/10.
Sunday 23 September
Stade Rennais 6/1
Draw 4/1
PSG 4/10
Sunday’s first clash pits Stade Rennais up against PSG. Don’t read too much into this one and back PSG to clear the (-1) handicap at 19/20.
Guingamp 17/10
Draw 43/20
Bordeaux 17/10
Guingamp’s awful start to the season continued last week as they were hammered 4-0 by a rampant Marseille. They only managed two shots at the Orange Vélodrome, none of which were on target. They’re the joint-lowest scorers in the league and have the worst defence, conceding a mammoth 14 goals in five matches.
Take Bordeaux – who are second bottom on four points – to open up the gap even further at 17/10.
Lyon 13/10
Draw 26/10
Marseille 19/10
We round off week five’s action with a potential cracker as Lyon host Marseille. I have to say that I’ve been disappointed in Lyon thus far and expected them push PSG all the way in 2018/19. With only seven points from a possible 15, they’re well off the pace and keep dropping points against teams they really ought to be beating. Last week’s 2-2 draw against 10-man Caen was a case in point.
Marseille appear to be the team most likely to keep pace with PSG this term. They were magnificent against Guingamp last week completely dominating the tie from start to finish in a game they could have won 8-0. I fully expect Marseille to head to Lyon and have a full go. A bit tricky calling a result here, but there should be goals.
Take over 2.5 goals at 11/20.
Treble tipped at 4.79/1
PSG (-1) 19/20
Lille win 8/10
Monaco win 13/20
