Football betting analyst Mark O’Haire returns to share a couple of his favourite fancies across the globe with a focus on Scotland and France this weekend.
The Scottish League One title race is heating up, and Stenhousemuir are right in the thick of it. Gary Naysmith’s side have surged to within a single point of the summit after a superb recent run (W4-D1-L0), highlighted by an impressive victory over table-toppers Inverness.
Stenny now return to Ochilview Park this weekend, where they’ve been consistently strong. The Warriors have returned W6-D4-L1 in front of their own supporters, avergaing 1.73 goals and keeping six clean sheets across those 11 outings. That defensive solidity has been even more eye-catching of late, with six shutouts in their last seven league matches.
Stenhousemuir look well placed to extend that run and are attractively-priced against mid-table Peterhead, a side Stenny have already beaten twice this term – 3-1 away and 4-1 here at home. Those results weren’t anomalies either; Peterhead arrive in poor form, losing six of their last 10 overall, five of their past eight, as well as four of their most recent six.
Peterhead’s struggles are magnified on the road. The Blue Toon have been beaten in six of nine road trips, including four of six against the top-four. Exclude the bottom-two teams and Peterhead have scored only three goals in seven games as guests, whilst they’ve managed a tally of only two clean sheets across all venues, conceding 2.00 goals per-game.
Peterhead have been turned over in all four meetings with the current top-two and everything points towards a repeat here: an in-form home side with a rock-solid defence faces a visiting side that struggles for away goals, leaks opportunities, and regularly comes up short against stronger opposition. Stenhousemuir are available at 1/1 (2.00) to win.
It’s been a forgettable 2026 for Lille. Les Dogues have endured a disastrous start to the New Year, suffering five defeats from five, conceding multiple goals in each (13 goals in total). Matters only worsened last weekend when LOSC were hammered 4-1 at home by Strasbourg, whilst reports also suggested boss Bruno Genesio had offered to resign.
Those reports were denied by the club, but Lille look in a sorry state right now. Genesio recently labelled the team’s performances this year as “scandalous”, whilst injuries have also hit the group hard; Olivier Giroud is the only available centre-forward, with Andre Gomes, Benjamin Andre, and Nabil Bentaleb all missing from the midfield.
Les Dogues are back in Europa League action on Thursday night before facing their nemesis in Lyon on Sunday evening with Lille losing five of the last six head-to-heads. Where LOSC might be struggling for form, fitness and confidence, Lyon are flying – Les Gones have pocketed nine wins from their last 10 across all competitions before UEL duty on Thursday.
Paolo Fonseca’s posse have posted W7-D0-L2 in home Ligue 1 outings this season and look nicely-priced at 39/40 (1.98) to enhance that record here. However, we must also have an interest in star January loan signing Endrick getting on the scoresheet at 13/10 (2.30). The Brazilian has made a magnificent start to life in France following his move from Real Madrid.
Endrick announced himself with a debut goal against Lille in the Coupe de France and last weekend scored a magnificent hat-trick against Metz. Across his three starts for Lyon, the 19-year-old has scored four goals with the underlying numbers screaming sustainability. He’s already fired of 16 shots (11 on-target) with a remarkable total xG of 3.06 xG.
Now Endrick faces a Lille side that’s lost six of their last eight and conceded multiple goals in six of their nine Ligue 1 away days. Backing him to score stands-out at the 13/10 (2.3).
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