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Montpellier
Ligue 1 | Gameweek 12
Oct 22, 2022 at 4pm UK
Stade de la Mosson
Lyon

Montpellier
1 - 2
Lyon

Wahi (70')
Savanier (59'), Wahi (74')
Mavididi (76')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Aouar (33'), Lacazette (90')
Aouar (7'), Mendes (49')

Preview: Montpellier HSC vs. Lyon - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Saturday's Ligue 1 clash between Montpellier HSC and Lyon, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Two Ligue 1 sides who have undergone recent managerial changes will aim to pick up their first win of their respective new eras on Saturday, as Montpellier HSC entertain Lyon at the Stade de la Mosson.

Olivier Dall'Oglio's time in the Paillade dugout came to an end with a 1-0 loss to Lens last time out, while Laurent Blanc's Lyon stint began with a 3-2 defeat to Rennes.


Match preview

Olivier Dall'Oglio, now in charge of Montpellier, pictured in March 2021© Reuters

Despite developing a reputation for exciting attacking football at Brest, Olivier Dall'Oglio - who job-swapped with fellow sacking victim Michel Der Zakarian - has been relieved of his Montpellier duties after a dampening string of results.

The final nail in Dall'Oglio's coffin came at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis, where skipper Teji Savanier - so often the hero of the hour for La Paillade - became the villain, as his mistake put the ball on a plate for Wesley Said to score the winner in the 67th minute.

Faitout Maouassa's goal-bound header was then magnificently kept out by Kevin Danso as Dall'Oglio bid his farewells to Montpellier, who will be under the tutelage of former midfielder Romain Pitau until a search for a replacement kicks into gear during the World Cup break.

Defeat to Lens represented Montpellier's third in a row in the top flight, as well as their fifth loss from their last six, but Pitau's situation is hardly disastrous, as La Paillade occupy a healthy 11th place in the table and are eight points clear of the four-team relegation zone.

Picking up just a fifth win from 21 Ligue 1 games will be a tall order for Pitau in his first game, but Montpellier have followed a pattern of winning one then losing one at the Stade de la Mosson this term - their most recent home game ended in defeat to Monaco by two goals to nil.

Laurent Blanc in charge of Paris Saint-Germain in May 2016© Reuters

Peter Bosz was seemingly on borrowed time at Lyon for a while, and Les Gones have turned to four-time Ligue 1-winning coach Laurent Blanc to turn their fortunes around, but the former France and Paris Saint-Germain boss did not get off to the perfect start.

Alexandre Lacazette scored two goals either side of Martin Terrier's header and a close-range finish from Amine Gouiri against his former club in last weekend's clash with Rennes, but Terrier used his head once again to seal a 3-2 win for Les Rouges et Noir.

The Gones faithful are growing restless for a win, having seen their side pick up just one point from the last 18 available in Ligue 1, and that run of form means that Lyon sit just one place and two points above Montpellier in 10th heading into Saturday's game.

The visitors' away form will not be music to the ears of supporters either, as Lyon hold the unwanted honour of being the division's worst-performing side on the road, losing each of their last four on rival turf since drawing 1-1 with Reims in August.

Granted, those fixtures all came against high-flyers in Lorient, Rennes, Monaco and Lens, but a club of Lyon's calibre cannot be seen taking zero points from such matches. Nevertheless, Les Gones enjoyed goal-laden success over Montpellier last term, doing the double over La Paillade by an aggregate score of 6-2.

Montpellier HSC Ligue 1 form:

Lyon Ligue 1 form:


Team News

Alexandre Lacazette celebrates scoring for Lyon on September 7, 2022© Reuters

Montpellier midfield regular Jordan Ferri will be back from a yellow card suspension for the visit of Lyon, and the 30-year-old should come straight back in for a man 12 years his junior in Khalil Fayad.

Dimitry Bertaud and Theo Sainte-Luce will not be seen until the final weeks of the season due to ACL injuries, while defensive duo Pedro Mendes and Mamadou Sakho may also miss out again with muscular and calf problems respectively.

Pitau should not alter the harmony of his squad too much for his first game in charge, with Elye Wahi set to fend off competition from Valere Germain and Wahbi Khazri to lead the line before serving a suspension against Rennes next weekend.

As for Lyon, luckless midfielder Corentin Tolisso started the first game of the Blanc reign but had to come off just before half time with a thigh injury, and the Frenchman may or may not be ready to return to action before the World Cup.

Blanc set up in a 3-5-2 formation for his first game, and either Thiago Mendes, Jeff Reine-Adelaide or Johann Lepenant could take Tolisso's place, but the latter - a regular of Bosz's - was not even in the squad last weekend.

Julian Pollersbeck is the only other occupant of the treatment room alongside Tolisso, and Houssem Aouar in particular seems likely to benefit from Blanc's introduction as he aims to start back-to-back games.

Montpellier HSC possible starting lineup:
Omlin; Tchato, Jullien, Esteve, Cozza; Ferri, Chotard; Nordin, Savanier, Mavididi; Wahi

Lyon possible starting lineup:
Lopes; Lukeba, Boateng, Diomande; Gusto, Mendes, Aouar, Caqueret, Tagliafico; Lacazette, Dembele


SM words green background

We say: Montpellier HSC 1-2 Lyon

There were plenty of things to like about Lyon's first performance under Blanc, and facing a Montpellier side who are also in disarray could be just the ticket for Les Gones to end their winless habit.

It is always difficult to predict the outcome of matches where two newly-hired managers pit their wits against one another, but the firepower at Blanc's disposal could see him come out on top over Montpellier's Pitau, whose own difference makers in the final third can spark an intriguing contest.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting over 2.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Over 2.5:data


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Game History

How you voted: Montpellier vs Lyon

Montpellier HSC
16.3%
Draw
16.3%
Lyon
67.3%
49
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Lyon coach Peter Bosz during the match on January 9, 2022
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Paris Saint-GermainPSG12102036102632
2MonacoMonaco1282221101126
3Marseille1272327161123
4Lille115421811719
5Lyon125431916319
6Reims125342016418
7Nice1145221111017
8Lens124531312117
9Auxerre115152019116
10Toulouse124351314-115
11StrasbourgStrasbourg113442022-213
12Brest124171622-613
13Saint-EtienneSt Etienne124171125-1413
14Rennes113261318-511
15NantesNantes112451417-310
16Angers112451320-710
17Le HavreLe Havre11308823-159
18Montpellier HSCMontpellier122191132-217


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