Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Ligue 1 match.
Auxerre's vibrant return to French top-flight football has brought plenty of goals in their matches. Meanwhile, Monaco will finally see Aleksandr Golovin returning from injury — the captain might feature in the starting lineup for Saturday's encounter.
Auxerre
A win over Nice in the first round (2:1) raised hopes among Auxerre fans that the team could secure a mid-table spot and avoid the relegation battle. However, defeats to Nantes (0:2) and Le Havre (1:3) brought them back to reality, with their cumulative xGA (4.94) and six goals conceded highlighting defensive issues. Additionally, the team will be further weakened by the suspension of key defender Ki-Jana Hoever from the last match.
Monaco
Before their first Champions League match against Barcelona, Monaco can extend their unbeaten streak in the league to four games. Against formidable opponents Olympique Lyon (2:0) and Lens (1:1), Monaco created a combined 3.84 xG and took 36 shots — a commendable display, considering the significant changes to the team's attacking lineup. Monaco have given ample playing time to promising talents Eliesse Ben Seghir and Maghnes Akliouche, but with Aleksandr Golovin's return, one of the young wingers will likely move to the bench.
Auxerre vs Monaco Prediction
In the season before last, Auxerre and Monaco produced high-scoring head-to-head encounters (both 3:2 in favour of Monaco). The favourites have a strong attack, and their opponent is likely to support a high-tempo game — we can expect an exciting match with plenty of chances.
