St Etienne vs Gent Predictions

Gent are yet to lose in the Europa League this season, picking up two wins and two draws, and now need just a point from their trip to France on Thursday to secure one of the two qualifying spots in Group I. Saint-Etienne haven’t won in the Europa League this season, but have only lost once, and really need to secure all three points and hope Wolfsburg drop points away at Oleksandria this Thursday to stand any chance of being in the mix for qualification come the final group game.

All of the stats point towards goals being scored at both ends of the pitch on Thursday and we have backed the two teams to play out a 1-1 draw.

When these two sides met for the reverse fixture Gent secured all three points courtesy of a 3-2 win and both teams have scored in all of Gent’s and Saint-Etienne’s eight games in Group I combined. The hosts have secured three draws in the group stage two of which arrived in their two home games so far, while Gent remain unbeaten in Group I but have drawn one game at home and one game on the road.

Saint-Etienne have only lost once at home domestically this season, playing seven games at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, while Gent have only won once on the road in Belgium but have secured four draws from eight away games, which is why we’re backing a draw between the pair on Thursday. Both teams have scored in 62% of Gent’s away games this season and 100% of their Europa League games, while 43% of Saint-Etienne’s home games have seen goals scored at both ends of the pitch.

Gent might have proven hard to beat on the road this season but the visitors have only kept clean sheets in 25% of their away games and have scored in 75% of their away matches while Saint-Etienne have only failed to score in 29% of their home games, which is why we have backed both teams to score on Thursday.

We’re confident that both teams will score on Thursday and we have predicted a final scoreline of 1-1 between the pair. Saint-Etienne have become draw masters in the Europa League but really need a win this week, while Gent are unbeaten in Group I and looked very confident on the road. All of the eight group games between these two clubs combined have seen both teams score and we’re backing goals to be scored at both ends of the pitch on Thursday as well.