Ligue 1 Matchday 4 Odds & Picks: Rennes Meet Monaco in Early Top of the Table Clash

• Ten fixtures ahead as French league gets into full swing
• Strugglers  Metz host Reims while impressive Lens take on Bordeaux
• See all odds and best bets for France Ligue1 Round 4 below

France enters Round 4 of its Ligue1 competition with three teams each on seven points around the top of the table.

Rennes, Monaco and Lille are the early frontrunners after last season’s championship was abandoned early with Paris Saint-Germain declared winners amid the coronavirus crisis.

Read on for our predictions for this weekend’s slate of games below.

France Ligue1 Round 4 Odds

Odds taken on September 17 at DraftKings

Pick 1: Rennes vs Monaco

There is an early season crunch match in-store as league leaders Rennes host second-placed Monaco at 4:00 pm ET on Saturday.

Both teams have identical records after two wins and a draw apiece with Rennes on top with a goal difference advantage of one.

At Draftkings, Rennes are favorites for a home win at +138 with Monaco priced at +195. The draw is +230 which looks the most promising value here.

It may, though, be Rennes who are in a slightly more buoyant mood after a striking 4-2 win away against Nantes in their last fixture when their new forward Sehrou Guirassy scored twice to open his account for the club.

Veteran midfielder Cesc Fabregas played his 800^th senior game in Monaco’s 1-0 win at home against Nantes last weekend.

Guirassy fired home a stunning drive from the edge of the box and completed a man-of-the-match performance with a tap-in goal – spelling out the threat he will pose to Monaco this weekend.

Veteran midfielder Cesc Fabregas played his 800^th senior game in Monaco’s 1-0 win at home against Nantes last weekend – and proved that at 33, he is still a dominant force in midfield.

"I tell all the young players in this squad: if you give your maximum every day in training, you will play." #WednesdayWisdom from coach Niko Kovac. pic.twitter.com/EHyV9hZ55Q

— AS Monaco EN (@AS_Monaco_EN) September 16, 2020

His experience will be vital for the visitors at Rennes’ intimidating home at the Roazhon Park.

Defender and Manchester United transfer target Benoit Badiashile has scored twice for Monaco so far – in the 2-2 draw against Reims on opening day and the 1-0 defeat of Metz – and could be a force pushing up from deep.

There was a 2-2 draw when Monaco last visited Rennes in May last year.

Pick: Draw +230

Pick 2: Metz vs Reims

Metz are at home against Reims in a battle of the early season strugglers at 10:00 am ET on Sunday.

A 1-0 midweek defeat by Paris Saint-Germain made it three defeats for Metz while Reims have one point more after drawing once and losing twice.

However, Metz have had a daunting fixture list and they could be ready to pick up form with an easier task ahead this weekend.

All three defeats have come by just 1-0; against high-flying Monaco on the opening day and against fourth-placed Lille before Wednesday’s setback against PSG.

Metz’ most recent two setbacks were particularly hard to take as the opposition’s winning goals arrived after the 85^th minute.

So it looks like there is value in the price of +163 for a Metz victory. Reims are priced at +185 with the draw at +200, which is also attractive.

Metz’ most recent two setbacks were particularly hard to take as the opposition’s winning goals arrived after the 85^th minute – with Julian Draxler scoring PSG’s winner on Wednesday in added time.

Reims goalkeeper Predrag Rajković has faced 6 penalties since arriving in Ligue 1 in July 2019 – he has saved 5 of them. Enormous.

— Get French Football News (@GFFN) September 13, 2020

This suggests Metz may be ready to be more determined next time around,

Reims secured a 2-2 draw at Monaco on the opening day and then lost another tough fixture 1-0 at home against Lille.

A subsequent 1-0 loss away at ninth-placed Angers was more disappointing.

'Bruised' John Boye shines in FC Metz's defeat to PSG https://t.co/VVnJBuFW6q pic.twitter.com/4bnt2a3iJ2

— Ghanasoccernet.com (@Ghanasoccernet) September 17, 2020

Despite the defeat, there were rave reviews for Reims goalkeeper Pedrag Rajkovic who made five critical saves while conceding just once.

Metz were 1-0 winners away against Reims last January and will now hope for a repeat to kick-start their season.

Pick: Metz +163

Pick 3: Lens vs Bordeaux

Newly-promoted Lens caused a stir when they defeated mighty Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in their first home game of the campaign.

Their spirits have been further lifted by a subsequent 3-2 win away at Lorient and they have a good chance of continuing their fine start at home against Bordeaux at 12:00 pm ET on Sunday.

Eighth-placed Lens are the best bet at +143 with Bordeaux at +210  and the draw an intriguing +205.

The Congolese midfielder Gael Kakuta has scored twice already for Lens this season as has Cameroonian forward Ignatius Ganago to underline the fact that the team is more potent going forward than Bordeaux.

Undefeated Bordeaux are in 10^th place after two draws and one win.

Fresh start 🔵⚪
New home shirt #AlwaysGirondins #ReadyForSport 💪@adidasfootball /// @adidas pic.twitter.com/9xsWNd8St1

— Girondins English (@girondins_en) July 22, 2020

Both those draws were goalless affairs against Nantes and Lyon and they have scored only in a 2-0 win against Angers – so they are unlikely to pose much of a goal threat at Lens.

Against that, they have three successive clean sheets and could be a tough nut to crack open.

It was 2-1 to Bordeaux when they last visited Lens in November 2014.

Pick: Lens +143