Lorient vs. Montpellier predictions, betting tips and match preview

Sylvain Ripoll’s struggling Lorient look to end a run of three consecutive Ligue 1 defeats when they play host to Frederic Hantz’ Montpellier at Stade Yves Allainmat-Le Moustoir on Saturday night.

Les Merlus are rock bottom with just six points from ten outings after recent defeats to Nice, Nantes and Dijon and will be anxious to get back to winning ways here with the gap between themselves and 17^th placed Montpellier already standing at four points.

After a 15^th place finish last term, boss Ripoll is under heavy fire going into match day 11 but the 45-year-old has cause to be optimistic ahead of Saturday’s clash, considering that both his team’s Ligue 1 victories in 2016/17 have come at home – the latest being a 1-0 success against Lyon at the end of last month.

A repeat of that showing would likely be good enough to bag a much needed three points against a Montpellier side that are also on the wane.

La Paillade were smashed 6-2 at Monaco last weekend and currently sit with a clutch of sides on 10 points after just league wins so far this season.

A 0-2 midweek victory away to Laval in the Coupe De La Ligue will have provided some respite for boss Frederic Hantz’. However, Montpellier’s main concern ahead of their trip to Lorient is their awful form on the road in Ligue 1.

Despite a solid away record in the last campaign (22 points from 19 games) Montpellier have only picked up two points from five matches on their travels this season shipping a woeful 18 goals in the process.

They will be relieved to know that Lorient have only scored three goals in five home matches this term but the hosts ability to tough out a result at Stade Yves Allainmat-Le Moustoir rightfully makes them favorites here and we’re happy to tip up Ripoll’s men to claim a narrow win this weekend.