Le Havre vs Montpellier Prediction: Struggling Le Havre and Montpellier face off in a crucial encounter as both seek relief from their recent poor form

Le Havre and Montpellier go head-to-head in Round 9 of Ligue 1, and both are under immense pressure to get out of their poor runs of late. Didier Digard's Le Havre lies in 17th place after losing six straight matches. Furthermore, the team has seen only a few instances of finding the net in recent matches. On the other hand, Montpellier, a single point behind in 18th, has also been struggling with four losses on the trot and an unstable backline, leaving Jean-Louis Gassett's outfit desperate to earn points. With both teams sitting on the brink of the relegation zone, this fixture is colossal for the season ambitions of both clubs, and it's a much-needed confidence booster that each hopes to secure.

Le Havre has suffered in both phases of the game, as six straight losses and four goalless outings prove. Their recent defeat at Rennes 1-0 showed that Le Havre had a scant offensive output of just one shot on target and no corners. More alarming is how disciplinary issues were raised with the red card for Christopher Operi, which could suggest some lapses in concentration and tactical discipline. Didier Digard's men will have to bring a lot more, especially in the attack, in front of an equally vulnerable Montpellier.

The 3-1-4-2 formation set up by Didier Digard aims to shore up the back while giving his wingbacks room to support the attack. But having had only 39% possession in the last game and having conceded first in many, Le Havre hasn't been able to dominate games or mount significant threats going forward. The team hasn't been able to break down opponents, creating clear-cut few chances, and this is an area where more efficiency will be required in the final third. Digard will most probably stress a compact defensive shape to reduce exposure, especially after Operi's red card has exposed depth concerns in the backline. This urgent need for Le Havre to be better with their pressing without giving away fouls, because ill-discipline has cost them a lot in the recent matches.

In the meantime, Montpellier has allowed a total of 20 so far, the second most in the league, due to its serious series of breakdowns. In the last matchup against Toulouse, a 3-0 defeat, Montpellier again failed to create any serious offense and worse still saw captain Teji Savanier receive his red card to compound their problems deeper in the middle of the field. Jean-Louis Gasset will have his work cut out in addressing both the team's discipline and organization if they are to stabilize and secure a positive result in this clash.

Jean-Louis Gasset's favored 4-1-4-1 setup places much emphasis on stability in the midfield, as one holding midfielder sits back to anchor the central area. This formation has not stopped Montpellier from showing considerable defensive weaknesses, conceding early goals in many games and starting the first half very poorly. Also, their attacking product has been up to scratch, with no creativity and ability to create good goal-scoring opportunities-just look at their big chances created in the last few games. Gasset will probably work on tightening the midfield and not allowing gaps, especially in the absence of Savanier, who is out for suspension. Upfront, Montpellier could try to catch Le Havre on several counter-attacks.

Traditionally, matches between Le Havre and Montpellier have been quite even. In the last 10 matches, Le Havre leads with three wins to two for Montpellier, and five games ended all square. Recent matches between the two teams have tended to be low-scoring, with four of the last five matches ending under 2.5 goals. Also, discipline is hardly an issue, as the last ten matches went below 4.5 cards. Previous Outcome The last encounter was won 2-0 by Montpellier, further underlining their advantage over Le Havre, but this result will carry little weight as both teams are in bad form.

Both teams are in poor form, pointing to weakness in both offense and defense. Le Havre's problem has been an inability to create sustained offensive opportunities-they have not scored a goal in their last four outings-and have failed to show much in the way of possession and control. Montpellier, on the other hand, has allowed a sackful of goals, over two per outing, and also cannot seem to gain control of any match.

Considering both sides have leaked the opening goal and so often struggled to find the back of the net this season, this could be a defensively-shaped fixture where not making too many critical errors proves important. Le Havre could lean on solid defense and set-pieces for their attack, while Montpellier will probably look to exploit counter-attacking opportunities. Given how cold both sides' recent form has gotten, even a slight advantage or mistake could prove decisive.

• 3 Way Total Under 3 Goals @ 2.007 Odds
• Under 2.5 Goals @ 1.91 Odds
• Le Havre DNB @ 1.60 Odds