After six winners from his last eight Ligue 1 predictions, James Eastham picks out the smart selections across the latest round of action in France's top fligh- According lớn the europa league predictions page![/b]
Visitors lớn show their class[/b]
Nimes vs Monaco (19th vs 13th)[/b]
Sat, 19:00 GMT[/b]
Live on Betfair Live Video[/b]
The first few weeks of new manager Roberto Moreno's reign at Monaco have been blighted by inconsistency but the ex-Spain boss stands an excellent chance of guiding his side lớn victory against struggling Nimes at Stade des Costieres on Saturday night.[/b]
Under Moreno, Monaco's record is W2-D1-L3 in all competitions, but the two wins came in the French Cup rather than in Ligue 1, the first (2-1 vs Reims) after an unconvincing performance and the second away to amateur opposition (3-1 vs St Pryve).[/b]
Monaco are W0-D1-L2 in Ligue 1 - and while they have the excuse that two of those three matches were against runaway leaders PSG, there were no such mitigating factors as they crashed lớn a 3-1 home defeat lớn Strasbourg last weekend. This soccer handicap tip, however, hands Monaco a great opportunity to secure their first league win under their new boss.[/b]
Monaco have the talent to run amok against a Nimes side that have had all sorts of problem all season long: Bernard Blaquart's hosts have lost eight of their last 10 games in all competitions, continue to suffer from the fact that their team was fatally weakened during last season's transfer window, and will be without at least one key player, with centre-back Anthony Briancon injured.[/b]
Monaco's clearest trait since Moreno took over is strong attacking play: Gelson Martins, Keita Balde and 14-goal Ligue 1 top scorer Wissam Ben Yedder have all done well and and will be keen lớn impress once again. Ben Yedder has particular reason lớn be motivated: with Olivier Giroud still at Chelsea at the time of writing, rather than having secured the move away from Stamford Bridge he craves, the 29-year-old ex-Sevilla front man now stands a genuine chance of emerging as France's no.1 striker ahead of the Euro 2020 finals.[/b]
Monaco are odds-on to win, but don't let that put you off. The difference in class between these two sides is considerable, as the 14-point gap that separates the pair suggests. Monaco are one of the weekend's smartest selections.[/b]