Rodez head into this clash in excellent home form, winning three of their last five and sitting fifth in the table. St Etienne arrive as the more imposing force league-wide in second place, though their recent away form has been mixed, picking up a win and a draw but also suffering a defeat in their last three on the road.

The goal data here tells an interesting story. Rodez at home see BTTS land 69% of the time, well above the Ligue 2 average of 51%, suggesting they tend to contribute at both ends. St Etienne away, however, keep clean sheets 38% of the time and concede an average of just 1.1 goals per game on the road, which could suppress the hosts. The visitors look capable of shutting this down if they impose themselves early.

The limited head-to-head record favors St Etienne, and the data suggests the visitors are undervalued here despite what should be a competitive occasion.