Monaco vs Montpellier: Preview, Prediction & Betting Tips.

This betting preview contains recent form, possible lineups, injury news, match predictions and betting tips. 

Betting Preview:

Fixture: Monaco vs Montpellier Venue: Stade Louis II, Monaco Date: Friday 21st October Kick-off: 19:30 Monaco will be hoping to close the gap on Ligue 1 leaders Nice with a win at home to Montpellier on Friday night in what should be a comfortable home win with plenty of goals. Leonardo Jardim's side are currently third on goal difference and four points off the pace after losing 3-1 to Toulouse in their last league fixture but have a great record at home having recorded five wins and two draws in seven games. Monaco have conceded an average of a goal a game at home in Ligue 1 and may struggle to keep out an away side with goals in them. Montpellier are struggling in 15th place at the moment but are unbeaten in two and will be hoping their 10-man win against Caen will kick-start their season. Finding the net is not an area they have been struggling with however having found the net six times away from home including three in their last match at Dijon. They may struggle against Monaco however have lost top scorer Casimir Ninga to a cruciate ligament rupture. While scoring goals isn't a problem, stopping them going in seems to be as the 2011/12 champions have conceded 17 goals already, 12 of which game in their four away matches. Monaco have a great record against Montpellier and haven't lost in 21 games against them. They have also won three of the last four under Jardim, also managing three clean sheets in that time. With Montpellier missing two attacking threats, a fourth may well be on the cards.

Possible Lineups:

Monaco: Subasic; Raggi Glik Jemerson Mendy; Fabinho Bakayoko Moutinho; Lemar Germain Silva. Montpellier: Jourdren; Vanden Borre Skhiri Hilton Roussillon; Sylla; Camara Boudebouz Sessegnon Sanson; Berigaud.

Injuries:

Monaco: Out: Nabil Dirar (Calf Injury) Doubt: Falcao (Concussion) Montpellier: Out: Casimir Ninga (Cruciate ligament rupture), Daniel Congre (Hamstring injury), Mounie (N/A)

Prediction:

Monaco should come away the win this week. They perform well at home and Montpellier perform well away. Despite a European fixture at CSKA Moscow, Monaco will have three days to recover and tend to perform better after European fixtures. They look good value at 7/10. With neither defense watertight at the moment, there should be goals in this game. If both sides concede there will almost definitely be more than 2.5 goals, although Monaco are equally capable of scoring that much on their own. While Montpellier have scored six goals in two games, they may struggle against Monaco especially without their top scorer and first choice striker. With that in mind, 13/10 seems generous odds for a Monaco shutout.

Betting Tips:

[button color="green" size="normal" alignment="none" rel="nofollow" openin="newwindow" url="http://perform.digitalfuel.com.au/SH2Y"]Monaco To Win @ 7/10[/button] [button color="green" size="normal" alignment="none" rel="nofollow" openin="newwindow" url="http://perform.digitalfuel.com.au/SH2Y"]Over 2.5 goals @ 17/20[/button] [button color="green" size="normal" alignment="none" rel="nofollow" openin="newwindow" url="http://perform.digitalfuel.com.au/SH2Y"]Monaco Clean Sheet @ 13/10[/button]