The top 2 last season meet at the Stade Gerland in a key game for both team’s title hopes this term; Bordeaux will have to upset the odds and Lyon’s excellent home record (they haven’t lost at home in Ligue 1 for just over a year) if they are to put pressure on Lyon, who are attempting to win their 8th straight Championnat.

Lyon lost in the Coupe de la Ligue at home to Ligue 2 side Metz (1-3) midweek, but coach Claude Puel is not likely to be too upset as he played a few squad players, perhaps with one eye on this key game.

Lyon’s league form has been typically sound and they recovered well after a shock 0-3 loss at Rennes last month, winning 3 and drawing 2; they top the league with 30 points from 13 games, 4 points ahead of Marseille.

Bordeaux are 6 points behind Lyon in 4th place and have taken 7-1-1 from their last 9 games in all competitions; that one loss came in their last away league game at Nancy (0-1), though and gave struggling Nancy only their 2nd win of the season (at the time).

Goals have been hard to find away from home for Laurent Blanc’s side, with just 6 scored in 6 games away from home this season; Cavenaghi has been in scoring form for Bordeaux with 7 goals this season, but apart from him, there are not a lot of goalscoring options for Bordeaux and they may be a little too reliant on the Argentine striker.

Match Betting Previews 15-16 November 2008 >>> Premiership: Arsenal v Aston Villa - Blackburn v Sunderland - Bolton v Liverpool - Fulham v Spurs - Man United v Stoke - Newcastle v Wigan - WBA v Chelsea - West Ham v Portsmouth - Everton v Middlesbrough - Hull v Man City La Liga: Valencia v Gijon - Atletico v Deportivo - Recreativo v Barcelona Serie A: Palermo v Inter - Milan v Chievo - Roma v Lazio Ligue 1: Lyon v Bordeaux - Rennes v Monaco Bundesliga: Leverkusen v Schalke - Hertha v Hamburg

With 1st and 2nd choice keepers Rame and Valverde both injured, third-choice Kevin Olimpa is likely to play in this crucial game and his inexperience could be costly for last season’s runners-up; ominously, Lyon have scored 2 or more goals in each of their 6 home games this season.

Lyon won both league head-to-heads with Bordeaux last season, and both were by a two-goal margin; the champions should have too much for Bordeaux - 7 of Lyon’s 9 wins this season have been without conceding and the win to nil could be considered at a decent $2.75 from Paddy Power, but with both sides scoring in their last 4 league meetings, the home win at $1.75 from the same bookies may be safer.

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Bet: Lyon to win Odds: $1.75 Stake: 8pts Bookies: Paddy Power

Match Betting Previews 15-16 November 2008 >>> Premiership: Arsenal v Aston Villa - Blackburn v Sunderland - Bolton v Liverpool - Fulham v Spurs - Man United v Stoke - Newcastle v Wigan - WBA v Chelsea - West Ham v Portsmouth - Everton v Middlesbrough - Hull v Man City La Liga: Valencia v Gijon - Atletico v Deportivo - Recreativo v Barcelona Serie A: Palermo v Inter - Milan v Chievo - Roma v Lazio Ligue 1: Lyon v Bordeaux - Rennes v Monaco Bundesliga: Leverkusen v Schalke - Hertha v Hamburg