St Etienne-Lille

St Etienne hosts Lille this weekend in what promises to be an intriguing clash based on recent performances and head-to-head data. Lille has been the stronger side in past encounters, managing to keep a clean sheet in their most recent meeting last year. Historically, the majority of their matchups have been tight affairs, with only one of the last five surpassing a two-goal margin.

Heading into this match, St Etienne has struggled significantly, losing all five of their recent games, and particularly facing difficulties in both defense and attack. Their recent outings have seen them concede heavily while failing to score in four of those matches. This disheartening trend is highlighted by a heavy 4-0 defeat to Brest and a 2-0 home loss to Le Havre.

In contrast, Lille boasts a more positive recent track record, having secured solid victories against PSG, Angers, and Slavia Prague. Their defensive resilience has been evident with clean sheets in three of their last five games, while their attacking prowess ensured they scored at least two goals in those same fixtures.

Given Lille’s form and St Etienne’s ongoing struggles, Lille appears likely to secure a win. With St Etienne’s current offensive woes and Lille’s disciplined defense, it’s improbable that both teams will find the net. The recent scoring patterns and defensive records also suggest the match is likely to stay under 2.5 goals.