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Nine games into the Ligue 1 season and Le Havre are yet to register a single victory, but they will hope to turn the corner when they host Lorient on Sunday, November 8, at the Stade Oceane.
Lorient have done well to avoid second-season syndrome in the French top flight, as they head to Le Havre sitting 11th in the division and four points clear of the bottom three.
Three points on the road will be taken with both hands for Lorient, as it will move them further away from the drop zone, while a win for the hosts will generate hope that an escape is still possible.
Read our prediction, preview and betting tips for the game below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
Le Havre vs Lorient key stats
- Le Havre are unbeaten in their last five league meetings with Lorient, winning two and drawing three.
- The home side lost 78% of their Ligue 1 matches this season.
- Lorient are conceding an average of 0.89 goals per game in Ligue 1.
- The visitors have scored 71% of their goals in the second half.
Le Havre vs Lorient preview: Hosts hunting for first win
Le Havre vs Lorient — Tale of the Tape
| Le Havre | vs | Lorient |
|---|---|---|
| 18th | Position | 11th |
| 2 | Points | 12 |
| 9 | Goals For | 7 |
| 20 | Goals Against | 8 |
| 1 | Clean Sheets | 5 |
| 18th (H) | Home / Away Rank | 7th (A) |
After Paris Saint-Germain thrashed Le Havre 5-1 in the league last weekend, chaos ensued in the background at Le Havre, with manager Didier Digard getting the sack.
It was completely understandable, since this is one of Le Havre's worst starts to a Ligue 1 campaign, but Digard was not the only casualty, as Lorient's sporting director, Demba Ba, also stepped down from his position alongside President Jean-Michel Roussier.
Fans have called on the club's ownership to list it for sale, as they fell six points below safety last weekend, meaning they have yet to win a Ligue 1 fixture this term after nine attempts.
Under-19 boss Jair Karam will oversee the team this week, hoping to avoid the unwanted history of becoming only the fifth-ever club to have accumulated fewer than three points after 10 playing league games.
The previous four clubs to have gone through this scenario were all relegated, which is a horrible omen for the home side, but they have a positive head-to-head record that they can look back on for inspiration.
Les Ciel et Marine are unbeaten in the last five league meetings with Lorient, but the visitors have never gone six league clashes without recording a win of their own.
Having lost the last five league outings in a row, there is very little confidence that Le Havre can turn their fortunes around in this fixture, despite it being on home soil.
Lorient have enjoyed a fairly solid Ligue 1 campaign so far, winning three of their nine fixtures, but of course, they have struggled on the road, managing just one triumph across four road trips.
The Merlucciidaes lost at home last week to Brest, which brought to an end a three-game undefeated streak, but they will hope to bounce back with a positive result here.
The impressive aspect about Alexandre Dujeux's men this season is that they top Ligue 1 in terms of the fewest goals conceded away from home, as they have shipped just two goals in their four away dates.
Not only is that record the best in France, but no other team across Europe's top five leagues have better defensive output on the road than Lorient's.
Considering the visitors' strong back line and the hosts' poor attacking numbers on home soil, it would not be a complete surprise if this ended goalless.
Le Havre vs Lorient form guide & betting tips
| Le Havre | vs | Lorient |
|---|---|---|
LLLLL |
Form | LWWDL |
| 0 | Points | 7 |
| 18th | Form Table | 10th |
| 7 | Goals For | 3 |
| 16 | Goals Against | 4 |
LLLLL |
Form (All Comps) | LWWDL |
Whispers predicts: Le Havre 0-1 Lorient
Lorient's poor record against Le Havre means this should be approached with caution, rather than buying into the home side's horrid run of form, which is why a draw at 3.15 odds is a good idea.
However, the visitors have at least won one league match on the road this season, meaning there is a possibility that they could get over the line, making the double chance of a Lorient win or draw at 1.36 odds a decent pick, but there is not much value in it.
Predicting the correct score to be 0-1 at 8.60 odds is another option worth exploring, especially because Lorient have won by that scoreline on three occasions already this season.
With the hosts struggling to score goals, BTTS – No at 1.95 odds is another possibility, as is the total goals to be under 2.5 at 1.75 odds.
> 1×2 – Draw at 3.15 | Likelihood: Low
> Double chance – Draw/ Lorient at 1.36 | Likelihood: High
> Both teams to score – No at 1.95 | Likelihood: Medium
> Correct score – Le Havre 0-1 Lorient at 8.60 | Likelihood: Medium
> Totals – Under 2.5 goals at 1.75 | Likelihood: High