Monaco vs St Etienne - Preview & Tip
Categoy: France Ligue 1
Kick Off: 03-04 at 20:30 CET
Monaco could edge Good Friday's top half clash
Good Friday brings us plenty of footballing action across the world, not least the european stage where the French Ligue 1 weekend kicks off with hosts Monaco playing host to St Etienne in a vital top half clash.
It appears Monaco have hit their straps at just the right time as they’ve strung together a very useful five-match unbeaten run which includes four wins against Nice, Evian TG, Bastia and Reims along with a point against the mighty Paris St Germain. As a result, the hosts currently sit in the Europa qualifying spot of fourth place, but are only four points adrift of Marseille in third spot and the Champions League qualifying berth.
Monaco’s home form has been steady throughout the season having lost just twice, and they’re currently unbeaten at Stade Louis II in their last ten matches in an overall record of 6-6-2 15/7. Within this record includes a total of nine clean sheets, and they’ve not conceded in their last seven home matches on the trot!
Visitors St Etienne are in fifth place just one point behind Monaco going into tonight’s encounter on the back of five matches without defeat. They’ve won their last three Ligue 1 matches on the trot with wins over Lorient, Metz and Lille although two of these three wins were also against bottom half opposition.
St Etienne’s record on the road is a reasonable one which stands at 6-5-4 14/14 but they’ve achieved just one away win from their last five on their travels (at bottom club Metz), while suffering defeats at Caen and Bordeaux and being held to draws at Rennes and Toulouse.
As this is a top half clash, I’ll keep the draw on my side as far as possible, particularly considering Monaco’s six stalemates at home so far this season, but they might just edge this one 1-0.
Pick: Monaco AH-0.25 @ 1.66 Ladbrokes
