The battle for survival intensifies in Ligue 1 as bottom side Angers host fellow strugglers Auxerre at Stade Raymond-Kopa on Sunday afternoon in a season-defining clash.
Both sides are marooned at the bottom of the league standings heading into this weekend, desperately needing three points to bridge the gap to safety.
Match preview
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Since back-to-back wins in September against Montpellier and Nice, Angers have gone a remarkable 14 matches without victory in Ligue 1, a record which cost Gerald Baticle his job and looks set to cost the club their first-tier status.
Abdel Bouhazama's men are bottom of the Ligue 1 standings, having collected a mere nine points in 22 games, leaving them 10 points from safety as the season nears its business end.
The appointment of the 54-year-old in December has done little to turn around the fortunes of the team, with Angers managing just one point since club football resumed following the World Cup break.
That point did come last time out in the league against Lorient in a stalemate, Les Noirs et Blancs' first clean sheet since those pair of victories in September.
The visitors at Stade Yves Allainmat last Sunday had the better of the chances to earn a rare maximum, a fact Bouhazama will be hoping gives his men a bit of confidence heading into such a vital fixture.
Auxerre are in a similar situation to their hosts on Sunday, cut adrift at the bottom of the table and needing a serious upturn in results to save their season from relegation.
Christophe Pelissier's side are without a Ligue 1 win since October and have been conceding plenty of goals since the start of 2023, with a 5-0 home defeat to Toulouse the most damning result of the last month.
Wednesday's Coupe de France exit at home to Ligue 2 strugglers Rodez was not much better, with Auxerre allowing the second-tier side to advance into the last-eight stage - the visitors scoring three goals in the process, the most they have netted in a single game all season.
After 10-straight campaigns in Ligue 2 before their dramatic promotion last season, Auxerre will not be in the mood to immediately return to the second tier, with Sunday's match against Angers one you feel they must win in order to survive.
Team News
Angers left-back Souleyman Doumbia will serve the final match of his two-game suspension on Sunday after picking up a direct red card in the home defeat to Ajaccio, meaning Ilyes Chetti will continue in defence.
Bouhazama's first-choice goalkeeper Yahia Fofana is sidelined with a meniscus injury and is expected back near the end of February, with 25-year-old Paul Bernardoni deputising between the sticks.
Auxerre have no fresh injury concerns ahead of this vital clash at the bottom of the league, although supporters should anticipate plenty of changes from the side who disappointed so much in the Coupe de France on Wednesday.
A long-term absentee for the visitors on Sunday is centre-back Theo Pellenard, with the ex-Angers man suffering a cruciate ligament injury in pre-season and not featuring since the playoff win over Saint-Etienne last May.
Angers possible starting lineup:
Bernardoni; Valery, Hountondji, Blazic, Chetti; Salama, Mendy, Bentaleb, Abdelii; Honou, Niane
Auxerre possible starting lineup:
Radu; Raveloson, Jubal, S Toure, Mensah; B Toure, Massengo, Hein, Autret, Costa; Abline
We say: Angers 1-1 Auxerre
A meeting of such importance between the bottom two clubs in Ligue 1 is likely to be a cagey affair, with the first goal absolutely vital in determining the outcome of the match.
The two sides know only a win will help their chances of survival, but the possibility of allowing their nearest relegation rival to gain three points will be unthinkable for both.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Carter White
