The Weavers face the league's worst defence. Lyon vs Auxerre prediction
Lyon and Auxerre will meet on Friday, 4 September, in the third round of Ligue 1. The match will be played in Lyon, with kick-off at 19:00 CET. My pick is the winner of the match.
H2H and statistical facts
- Lyon cannot win two matches in a row.
- Auxerre have kept just one clean sheet in their last eight Ligue 1 matches.
- Both teams have scored in each of the last six meetings between these sides at Lyon's ground.
- Auxerre have not won in Lyon since 2009.
The Weavers searching for consistency
Lyon have made a fairly confident start to the Ligue 1 season, although their last match left mixed feelings. The team took the initiative against Le Havre and controlled the game for long periods but failed to make their dominance count. Corentin Tolisso even found the net, but the goal was ruled out following VAR intervention, and Lyon were forced to come from behind after conceding late on. Lois Openda rescued the hosts with an 87th-minute equaliser to make it 1-1.
Overall, the current Lyon side looks highly competitive. The club were active in the summer transfer market and are continuing to reshape their squad. One of the most notable additions has been Lois Openda, who has already made an impact in the opening matches of the season.
Ahead of their home meeting with Auxerre, Lyon should have the edge in terms of quality and home support. The hosts will be keen to avoid a repeat of the Le Havre game, when plenty of possession and territorial dominance failed to produce enough goals. Against a team that have lost both of their opening matches, Lyon will surely look to impose a high tempo from the start and open the scoring as early as possible.
It is also worth noting Lyon's disappointing Champions League campaign. After successfully overcoming Sparta Prague, Olympique failed to get past Fenerbahce and will continue their European campaign in the Europa League.
Auxerre struggling badly in defence
Auxerre, by contrast, have made an extremely difficult start to the season. After two rounds, they remain the only team in the league without a point, despite scoring three goals. Their most recent match ended in a 3-1 home defeat by Angers, leaving Auxerre bottom of the Ligue 1 table.
The team's main problem at the start of the campaign has been their defence. Auxerre are capable of creating chances going forward but are making too many mistakes at the back. Three goals in two matches is a decent return for a team looking for stability in Ligue 1, but two consecutive defeats show that their attacking efforts have not been enough to earn points.
The trip to Lyon will be a major test for Auxerre. The visitors not only need to try to claim their first points of the season but also end their poor start to the campaign. The most likely approach will be a more cautious game plan with quick transitions into attack, as an open game against such an opponent away from home could cause serious problems. Their 5-2 defeat by Lens in the opening match demonstrated exactly that.
Probable line-ups
- Lyon: Greif, Maitland-Niles, Mata, Niakhaté, Abner Vinícius, Tolisso, Morton, Bidstrup, Fofana, Nuamah, Openda.
- Auxerre: Diop, Akpa, Makosso, Diomandé, Sy, Piedfort, Ahamada, Danois, Faivre, Lascary, Namaso.
What to bet on?
Lyon head into the match in more convincing form and have an obvious advantage in terms of squad quality and home advantage. Auxerre have already shown that they can score goals, but two consecutive defeats and serious defensive problems raise questions ahead of a meeting with one of the favourites. My pick is a Lyon win.
