It’s an unlikely top 5 battle in this match up as St Etienne travel to face an in-form Nice side in match week 24 of the 2016/17 Ligue 1 season. Both sides have massively exceeded their pre-season expectations as they’re both right in the hunt for Champions League places past the halfway mark of the season. Nice are having a fantastic and find themselves in 3^rd, only 3 points off PSG who are 1^st. St Etienne have been great in the league this season as they sit 5^th, only a point off Lyon in 4^th.

STATS

• Nice’s form has got quite a lot worse in the last couple of months after such an unexpected blistering start to their 2016/17 season. They’ve only won 2 of their last 7 in the league but have still managed to keep pace with the top 2: Monaco and PSG, which is one positive to take from their quite poor form.
• St Etienne are yet to lose a game in 2017 and after winning 3 of their last 4 league games, they are in a great position to really push for a European place. They have shown consistent form throughout the season, their away form has been average with a few losses as well as a few wins.
• Alassane Plea has been a major part of Nice’s title charge so far this season as no player at the club has scored more than his 11 goals in the league this season. Mario Balotelli isn’t far off matching his total with 9 goals of his own, a good record after such a dreadful spell at Liverpool.
• St Etienne haven’t had one stand-out goal scorer in the league this season, their goals have been spread out across the team but Romain Hamouma is their tops scorer with 6 goals as well as a bagful of assists.

HEAD TO HEAD

In the last 8 league meetings between both sides, Nice have won 3 and St Etienne have also won 3 with 2 draws in between. However, it was Nice that came out on top in this fixture earlier in the season as they picked up a 1-0 win away at St Etienne.

Head to head matches: OGC Nice - AS Saint Etienne

20.11.2016

Ligu

AS Saint Etienne

OGC Nice

0:1

NICE NEWS

Nice have a brilliant chance to possibly overtake Monaco and close the gap on PSG, depending on how their results go, and with a nearly full side available to face St Etienne, they’re certainly in the driving seat. However, Younes Belhanda is a big absence as he remains out with a fractured toe suffered in December.

Latest matches: OGC Nice

04.02.2017	Ligu	AS Monaco	OGC Nice	3:0	L
29.01.2017	Ligu	OGC Nice	EA Guingamp	3:1	W
20.01.2017	Ligu	SC Bastia	OGC Nice	1:1	D
15.01.2017	Ligu	OGC Nice	FC Metz	0:0	D
08.01.2017	Coup	FC Lorient	OGC Nice	2:1	L

ST ETIENNE NEWS

St Etienne will be looking to put themselves in an even better position than the one they’re in at the minute and with very few absences, they could have a chance to pick up at least a draw. Stephane Ruffier is a big loss in goal as he won’t quite be ready to be brought into Wednesday night’s game. Robert Beric and Oussama Tannane both miss out with injury.

Latest matches: AS Saint Etienne

05.02.2017	Ligu	AS Saint Etienne	Olympique Lyon	2:0	W
01.02.2017	Coup	AJ Auxerre	AS Saint Etienne	3:0	L
29.01.2017	Ligu	Toulouse FC	AS Saint Etienne	0:3	W
22.01.2017	Ligu	AS Saint Etienne	SCO Angers	2:1	W
13.01.2017	Ligu	Lille OSC	AS Saint Etienne	1:1	D

SUMMING UP!

Although Nice have home advantage as well as their great performances in the league so far this season, their form recently hasn’t been anything special and St Etienne will look to capitalise on that. St Etienne definitely have a chance of coming away from this game without losing as they’re on a good run at the moment. But Nice are still favourites in this game and should go on and put more pressure on PSG and Monaco.