Marseille vs. St-Etienne Betting Preview – Ligue 1, September 17, 2020

Marseille and St-Etienne will be aiming to keep their 100% records intact when they clash at Stade Velodrome on Thursday, September 17. Both sides have won their opening two Ligue 1 games this season, but only one can maintain a perfect start.

After discussing the bookies’ odds, I provide my Marseille vs. St-Etienne prediction and betting pick.

Unsurprisingly, Marseille is the favorite to win this game. The south coast side secured an impressive second-place finish last term, while the Greens ended the previous season in wretched form and narrowly avoided relegation.

Having said that, I’m sure St-Etienne’s strong start to the 2020/21 campaign has boosted the price for the home victory somewhat.

Marseille has been involved in two hugely eventful games already this season. A double from Croatia international Duje Caleta-Car saw the Olympians edge Brest 3-2 in their first outing before they overcame defending champion PSG last weekend.

Florian Thauvin netted his second goal of the campaign to help his side down the Parisians on Sunday, although the game ended in disgrace. Jordan Amavi and Dario Benedetto were two of five players to be sent off following an injury-time brawl, with three PSG men also being shown a red card.

Despite last weekend’s scuffle, Marseille has enjoyed a good start to the new season. Andre Villas-Boas’ men will be desperate to go one better this term and clinch a first Ligue 1 title for the club since 2009/10. The early signs are certainly promising.

Meanwhile, St-Etienne looks almost unrecognizable from the team that finished just above the drop zone last season. The Greens lost nine of their final 12 games in 2019/20 and only managed one win during that period, but they have hit the ground running this time around.

Not only have Claude Puel’s men won their opening two games, but they have also kept two clean sheets in the process. Back-to-back 2-0 victories over Lorient and Strasbourg have given the club the best possible start this term.

Veteran winger Romain Hamouma bagged a brace against Lorient, while youngsters Danis Bouanga and Mahdi Camara got on the scoresheet last weekend. St-Etienne will be hoping to use their blend of youth and experience to steer clear of relegation trouble this year.

Don’t get me wrong, St-Etienne has started the season in impressive fashion. But I can’t see the Greens winning three games in a row. Puel’s side was wildly inconsistent last term, so it’s surely only a matter of time before the team begins to drop points.

Marseille will be brimming with belief after beating PSG in Le Classique on Sunday. Even without suspended duo Amavi and Benedetto, I’m expecting the away side to beat St-Etienne.