Home and Away: Hosts in with a Sporting chance

Sporting Gijon are looking to put the disappointment of last year's relegation behind them.

Two more winners yesterday leaves the Home and Away column in clear profit for the week ahead of our two final picks, which take us to Spain and France.

We're off to Spain for our penultimate pick of the week - and focusing on the bottom end of the Seguna Division, as Sporting Gijon welcome Ponferradina to El Molinon.

The hosts go into this game sitting in the underwhelming position of 16th in the table, but their form on their own patch actually belies that placing, and they have actually put together a nice little run in front of their own fans.

Los Rojiblancos have lost just one outing since May on their home turf - and six wins from their last seven is a record that even the most in-form of sides would envy.

But it's not just the results of his side which will please hosts boss Jose Ramon Sandoval - it's the manner of those victories, which have seen his side keep four clean sheets from their last seven at home.

That form suggests that the Asturias side are beginning to find their feet in the second tier following relegation from La Liga last time out - and if they can keep chalking up the points, it won't be long until they're making their mark at the right end of the table.

Visitors Ponferradina travel north having made a miserable start to the season, and Claudio Barragan's side have won just one league game on the road since March.

And La Ponfe have not even managed to score in three of their last five away from El Toralin, which suggests that they may struggle to cope with the momentum of their hosts here.

Five losses from their last half a dozen on their travels will have knocked confidence in the visitors camp, and, just one point above the relegation zone, the pressure is on them to pick up a positive result here.

Unfortunately for Barragan's charges, I think that the recent form of the home side will have done wonders for confidence - and I have this one down as a home win.

Bet 1: Sporting Gijon (HOME) @ 1.76

Turning our attentions to France now for the final tip of this week, as in-form Lille travel to Lorient, looking to build on some impressive results of late.

The visitors go into this game unbeaten in six domestic clashes - and that has lifted Les Dogues into seventh place in the table, just three points off top spot.

Such is the closeness of Ligue 1 this campaign, that any side in the top nine could still realistically jockey for the leaders position over the next few weeks - and with it all to play for, visiting boss Rudi Garcia will be desperate for his side to maintain their positive form.

And just one loss from their last six games away from Grand Stade Lille Metropole suggests that L'OSC are more than capable of grinding out a win in this game. A 2-0 win at Evian in their last encounter on the road will have boosted confidence in the away camp, too.

Hosts Lorient prepare for this one in 11th position - but eight games without a win indicates that Christian Gourcuff's side may have a long hard season ahead.

And a whopping 16 goals shipped in their last four games points to major issues defensively for Les Merlus, who have conceded the second highest amount of goals in Ligue 1 so far this campaign, behind Bastia.

Five without a win at Stade du Mustoir will have heaped the pressure on the hosts, who desperately need to arrest their recent slide with a win. But again, eight goals in their last two on their own patch suggests that their rearguard could cost them dearly against a Lille side who are firing on all cylinders this evening.

Bet 2: Lille (AWAY) @ 2.44