Preview: Clermont vs. Montpellier HSC - prediction, team news, lineups

Clermont will be looking for all three points to increase their survival chances when they welcome Montpellier HSC to Stade Gabriel Montpied on Sunday afternoon.

As the Ligue 1 campaign enters its final three weeks, the hosts find themselves 17th in the table, just two points above the relegation playoff spot, but they will be facing a side with little to play for.

Match preview

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Clermont's win over fellow relegation candidates Troyes a fortnight ago looked like an important moment in the fight for survival, but since then things have changed once again.

ESTAC's win last time out moved them up to 14th, whilst Clermont were unable to repeat their feat of rescuing a point against an opponent with 10 men.

Les Lanciers came back from 2-0 down against Angers the week before, but were not able to take advantage of an early straight red card for Romain Del Castillo during their meeting with Brest.

Two quick-fire goals from Lilian Brassier and Steve Mounie in the space of three second-half minutes saw Pascal Gastien's side blow a good opportunity to move away from danger.

Whilst Bordeaux in 19th are six points back and probably out of touch, Clermont continue to hover just one place and two points above the relegation playoff spot and just one more swing of the pendulum is all it would take.

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They will be presented with another opportunity this weekend at least, not through a team with 10 men - though that could of course be the case again - but a team with very little left to play for this season.

The reason Montpellier have nothing to play for is their very poor form in recent months.

At the turn of the year, La Paillade were eyeing up a continental adventure next season, sat in fifth and only behind Rennes on goal difference.

The wheels gradually fell off that charge, though, and a run of six games without a win - and only one in their last 10 - has seen Olivier Dall'Oglio's side drop all the way to 13th.

Their only battle in the final three weeks will be with Reims for 12th, but after the aspirations they held just a few months back, that will likely not feel like a battle worth fighting at all.

Team News

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Despite their loss at the weekend, there are unlikely to be too many changes for Clermont, especially considering Cedric Houtoundji and Jason Berthomier remain injury doubts.

That would see the hosts line up in a 4-3-3 setup, with Mohammed Bayo leading the line, flanked by Elbasan Rashani and Lucas Da Cunha.

Montpellier have a few more injury worries than their opponents. Remy Cabella will miss out with a hamstring issue, joining captain and talisman Teji Savanier and first-choice goalkeeper Jonas Omlin in the treatment room.

Jordan Ferri is back in training but does not look likely to be ready in time - certainly not for the full 90 anyway - and Mihailo Ristic is also a doubt, but Joris Chotard is back to full fitness.

Clermont possible starting lineup:

Djoco; Zedadka, Billong, Ogier, N'Simba; Magnin, Gastien, Samed; Rashani, Da Cunha; Bayo

Montpellier HSC possible starting lineup:

Bertaud; Esteve, Cozza, Sakho; Souquet, Leroy, Chotard, Oyongo; Mavididi, Mollet, Wahi

We say: Clermont 1-1 Montpellier HSC

As mentioned, it is the hosts with infinitely more to play for than the visitors. However, Montpellier have a knack for not getting beaten by those towards the bottom of the table - even when they are two goals down with 10 minutes remaining - so we are going with the draw for this one.