Lyon must try to maintain Ligue 1 lead without Lacazette at Monaco

Ligue 1 table toppers Lyon will be targeting a third domestic defeat of moneyed rivals Monaco when they travel to the Principality. Coral make the Kids 13/5 outsiders to win there, however.

Leonardo Jardim can boast an impressive home record of just two league losses all season, and that is why the hosts are 11/10 favourites for three points here. A draw is an 11/5 chance.

Unlikely league leaders Lyon are not the rich Kids anymore, and have sadly lost the ace up their sleeve for this contest. Forward Alexandre Lacazette had become something of a scoring sensation for them, netting in 10 consecutive matches across all competitions and scoring 14 times in this predatory and prolific purple patch, but sustained an injury last time out.

Without him, the goal burden will fall upon attacker Nabil Fekir, who was on target in the reverse fixture which Lyon won 2-1. He is a 5/2 chance to score again anytime. More may be needed from midfield with Yoann Gourcuff (14/5) and Steed Malbranque (5/1), a name Premier League fans should remember, among those that the Kids can call upon.

Dimitar Berbatov also rings a bell, and the cultured Bulgarian is Monaco’s main man with odds of 9/5 to net anytime. Anthony Martial backs him up in attack, and is better at 9/4 in the same market.

There is a wide threat from Jardim’s hosts too, with Argentine winger Lucas Ocampos (14/5) and exotically named Belgium international Yannick Ferreira Carrasco (23/10) also out to impress in the French top flight title race.

Monaco are only nine points behind Lyon in the Ligue 1 standings, though do have rivals Marseille and PSG, plus plucky St-Etienne, also in the mix.

The Kids might just have Monaco’s number, though, also beating them on penalties in Coupe de France action, as well as that league victory. It is hard to make a case for them, however, without their leading marksman and their clean sheet record is patchy on the road.