Montpellier Hsc vs Lille Prediction & Betting Tips - Ligue 1

Prediction published on 21/12/2020, 14:56  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 21/12/2020 at 15:57 in Ligue 1 Predictions

League leaders Lille could win this trip to sixth placed Montpellier and still not be top at Christmas. They go into this final Ligue 1 game before the winter break ahead of Lyon on goal difference. Lille's is +18 but that's just one ahead of Lyon who host Strasbourg (16th in the table) so there could be a change at the top on Wednesday. Lille were held to a home goalless draw by PSG on Sunday evening, not bad considering they only had 31% of the possession. The draw did see their lead cut at the top as Lyon defeated Nice 4-1 on Saturday. The draw extended Lille's unbeaten league run to six games. They had won three in a row before Sunday's draw and have a good chance of getting back into winning ways in this game at Montpellier. Away form has seen Lille lose just one of their last ten league matches. 12 points from seven away league fixtures this season needs to be improved on though if they do want to dethrone PSG. Only six goals have been conceded, half of them in the 3-2 loss at Brest. Three of their last four away matches in Ligue 1 have had under 2.5 goals scored in them.

Montpellier are in sixth place, a place and a point behind the final Europa League qualification position. However, they are only six points behind Lille, so a win here will put them into title contention. The problem is that recent game has seen their form dip a bit. Montpellier needed an 82nd minute equalizer to get them a point at Brest at the weekend. That's just four points from their last four games though. Their last home league game saw them lose 2-0 at home to Metz. They may have won four league games at home this season but they've also lost four. Montpellier actually won their first three home league fixtures of the season but it's all gone downhill since then. Four of their next five matches on home soil have been lost, the other being a 4-3 win over Strasbourg. Montpellier can take advantage of their opponents poor form and get the win, but will it put them top for Christmas?