Monaco will endeavour to record a third win on the bounce in all competitions when they host Lyon at the Stade Louis II in Sunday’s standout Ligue 1 fixture.
Philippe Clement’s side opened their Europa League campaign with a 1-0 success away to Red Star Belgrade in midweek, while the visitors lost 3-1 to Lorient in league action.
Only four days after coming up with the game-winning goal against Nice in Ligue 1, Breel Embolo made lightning strike twice for Monaco, who were indebted to the 25-year-old’s spot kick in a 1-0 success on Red Star Belgrade’s turf.
After Wissam Ben Yedder had failed to fire, Embolo took just eight minutes to tally his first European goal of the season – converting a penalty which was won by Aleksandr Golovin – as Monaco kicked off Group H in perfect fashion.
Les Monegasques had previously failed to win in five straight matches continentally and domestically before returning to form with those 1-0 successes over Nice and Red Star, and Clement’s switch to a three-man backline is seemingly paying dividends on the defensive front.
Collecting eight points from a possible 18 means that Monaco are smack-bang in the middle of the Ligue 1 table in 10th place, but to say that the hosts are returning to home comforts this weekend would not be accurate in the slightest.
Indeed, Clement’s side have posted two draws and two defeats at the Stade Louis II in all competitions this term – losing successive games to Lens and Troyes last month while conceding four goals each time last month – but their visitors suffered a dismal away day in midweek.
A dejected-looking Peter Bosz admitted that he wanted to make as many as eight half-time changes during his side’s horror show against Lorient, who ended Les Gones’ stellar start to the new term via a 3-1 success in Wednesday’s rearranged fixture.
After the gameweek two clash was initially postponed due to an unplayable pitch during an August heatwave, Enzo Le Fee, Terem Moffi and Dango Ouattara all made the net ripple at the Stade du Moustoir, where Alexandre Lacazette had briefly restored parity for Les Gones.
Lyon felt the full force of Bosz’s frustration after seeing their unbeaten streak come to an end with a whimper, but a total of 13 points from a possible 18 means that the visitors are still sitting pretty in fourth place at the time of writing.
However, while Lyon have been perfect at the Groupama Stadium this term – winning four from four – they have only taken one point from their first two away games of the new season, as well as keeping just one clean sheet from six thus far.
Lyon had prevailed in four straight Ligue 1 fixtures with Monaco before falling to a 2-0 defeat at the Stade Louis II back in February, and not since October 2015 have the two French powerhouses played out a stalemate in the top flight.
Monaco Ligue 1 form:
WDLDLW
Monaco form (all competitions):
DLDLWW
Lyon Ligue 1 form:
WWDWWL
We say: Monaco 2-1 Lyon
A showdown between a Monaco side under-performing on their own soil and a Lyon outfit struggling to replicate their home form on the road is a highly intriguing affair, especially with both sides more than capable of threatening on the attacking front no matter how leaky their backline is.
Lyon may be boosted by some returns from injury, as well as enjoying an extra day’s worth of rest, but Monaco are finally tightening up at the back and can feel confident of picking up a third win on the bounce.