Ligue 1 returns this Wednesday as AS Monaco travel to Stade de l’Abbé-Deschamps to play Auxerre in the 16th round of the 2022/23 Ligue 1 season.
Venue: Stade de l’Abbé-Deschamps (Auxerre)
Key Statistics
Auxerre are unbeaten in their last three home league games (W1, D2).
The hosts have a dreadful record against teams in the top half (D1, L7).
They have kept just two clean sheets in the league this season.
AS Monaco have won five of their last seven away league games (D1, L1), keeping four clean sheets.
Only PSG (24) have scored more goals away from home than Monaco (14).
Monaco recorded more Ligue 1 opening goals (11) than all but PSG during the first 15 rounds, whilst Auxerre have just three.
Head to head
Monaco have five wins in their last ten meetings with Auxerre (D2, L3).
Latest performances in all competitions
Auxerre: W-D-W-L-D
Monaco: W-D-W-D-L
Auxerre
Forty-Four days after kicking their last league ball, Auxerre will return to league action looking to make a winning return.
The hosts went into the World Cup break on the back of a 5-0 away loss to league leaders Paris Saint-Germain. However, losing heavily to a star-studded PSG side is not really an embarrassment for a Ligue 1 club nowadays, so it may be quickly forgotten as the hosts’ attempt to get themselves off the foot of the table.
The World Cup break arrived at an optimal time for the relegation battlers despite a reasonably promising start to a new managerial era at the club. The break would have allowed new head coach Christophe Pélissier a month to further stamp his authority and direction on a squad that had only one player (Ghanaian right-back Gideon Mensah) feature at the World Cup.
Having taken points against Ajaccio (W 1-0) and away to Troyes (D 1-1) at the beginning of his reign, Pélissier will now look to correct his side’s dreadful league record against top-half clubs (D1, L7).
A win here should go a long way towards helping their survival bid in the expanded four-club relegation zone of 2022/23.
Possible Auxerre starting line-up
Benoit Costil; Paul Joly, Jubal, Julian Jeanvier, Gideon Mensah; Lassine Sinayoko, Birama Toure, Hamza Sakhi, Mathias Autret; Mbaye Niang, Nuno da Costa.
Injured: None
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Monaco
Monaco is another Ligue 1 club that would have fancied the World Cup break, given that they had endured an inconsistent start to the season.
The Ligue 1 giants struggled to get momentum in the first half of the season, often following wins with a draw or loss. So they will return to league action to record more consistent results.
The visitors sent six players to the World Cup in Qatar. Still, even the likes of Frenchman Axel Disasi and Youssouf Fofana may be fine to return immediately after playing just brief cameos in the World Cup final.
Philippe Clement’s men entered the break nine points adrift of a direct path to the next Champions League group stage and must solve their inconsistency to stand a chance of getting into the European spots.
As such, they will welcome the opportunity to continue their perfect W4 record as Ligue 1 away favourites, all four of which were accompanied by clean sheets.
Possible Monaco starting line-up
Alexander Nubel; Vanderson, Guillermo Maripán, Axel Disasi, Caio Henrique; Youssouf Fofana, Mohamed Camara; Krepin Diatta, Kevin Volland, Aleksandr Golovin; Wissam Ben Yedder.
Injured: Willem Geubbels
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Odds
Prediction
Auxerre 0-3 Monaco
