Match Preview: St Etienne – Reims Prediction and Betting Tips | Ligue 1

St Etienne – Reims Prediction and Tips for today, February 20, 2021

Match Preview and Predictions

• A run of four Ligue 1 (L1) games without defeat (W3, D1) has pulled St Étienne clear of the relegation battle for now. A good start could help them secure a third consecutive league victory, as St Étienne have lost all but one of the ten L1 matches in which they trailed at HT (D1).
• Undefeated against Reims at home in L1 action since November 1959, ‘Les Verts’ have witnessed the victorious side on the day score first in their seven won/lost home league fixtures this term. That first goal could come early as the opener has been scored within 20 minutes in four of St Étienne’s last five L1 home fixtures.
• On 29 points like their hosts, but above them on goal difference, visiting Reims have lost just two of their previous 11 league fixtures (W5, D4). Much of that success has been built on quick starts, which has seen Reims score 45.16% of their league goals before the break, returning a positive HT record: W9, D9, L7.
• Here, the visitors will be desperate to avoid conceding first, as they have lost five of the six league road trips in which they’ve conceded the opener this season (D1). Their L1 away games have been goal-fuelled affairs though, with a joint-second league high 69.33% of Reims’ L1 away fixtures witnessing over 2.5 goals, for an exciting average of 3.15 total goals per fixture.
• Players to watch: St Étienne’s Denis Bouanga has been involved in five goals across his last eight top-flight starts (two goals, three assists). For the visitors, Boulaye Dia has scored more goals against St Étienne than any other L1 club (four in four meetings).
• Hot stat: St Étienne have won each of their previous four L1 home matches refereed by Antony Gautier – all of which featured over 2.5 match goals.