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

Relegation rivals Montpellier HSC and Clermont will go head-to-head in a rescheduled Ligue 1 fixture on Wednesday evening.

The original contest was abandoned in stoppage time with Montpellier leading 4-2 after a firework thrown from the stands resulted in Clermont goalkeeper Mory Diaw being stretchered off.

Match preview

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Montpellier are currently hovering just one point above the drop zone, having won just three of their 12 league matches this season (D4, L5), with the most recent of those victories taking place against Toulouse on October 29.

While they may have ended last month with a commanding 3-0 win, Michel Der Zakarian's side have failed to replicate that sort of performance in November, picking up just one point from their last three matches.

After falling to a heavy 3-0 defeat in their away meeting with reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain, Montpellier would have been pleased to pick up a point in their home game against high-flying Nice before the international period.

However, they had little reason to cheer in Sunday's 3-1 loss Brest, conceding two second-half goals after Teji Savanier kept his composure from the penalty spot to level the scoreline in the 51st minute.

Although they have found wins hard to come by, Montpellier can take confidence from the fact that they have won both of their previous two home games against Clermont in Ligue 1.

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After failing to win any of their opening seven league games (D2, L5), Clermont had showed signs of improvement before the international break, recording two victories in the space of four matches.

Unfortunately for Pascal Gastien, his side were unable to add to their nine-point tally at the weekend, as they fell to a disappointing 3-0 home loss to Lens - a game that was made harder by the fact that Alidu Seidu was given his marching orders in first-half stoppage time.

After falling to their seventh league defeat of the season, Clermont are still languishing in the automatic relegation places, with three points separating them from safety and Wednesday's opponents.

Les Lanciers have now failed to find the net in seven of their 12 league games, and with just eight goals to their name, they are the lowest scorers in Ligue 1, highlighting a key area for improvement if they are to extend their stay in the top flight into a fourth consecutive season.

Having lost their last three competitive away meetings with Montpellier, the visitors will be hoping to pull off an away win over Wednesday's opponents for the first time since recording a 3-2 victory in a Ligue 2 fixture in October 2007.

Team News

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Montpellier will be without the services of Leo Leroy until the new year after the midfielder recently underwent surgery to resolve an injury issue.

Leroy is joined on the sidelines by defenders Christopher Jullien and Issiaga Sylla, who are nursing foot and calf injuries respectively.

Arnaud Nordin could be given more minutes off the bench after he returned from an injury absence to make a late substitute appearance in Sunday's defeat to Brest.

As for the visitors, forward Jeremie Bela is set to miss out with a groin injury, while midfielder Johan Gastien is unlikely to feature after missing the last two matches.

Florent Ogier will come into the backline to replace Seidu, who is suspended after being sent off in the first half of Saturday's defeat to Lens.

There could also be a couple of other changes, with Maxime Gonalons and Shamar Nicholson both in contention to start at Stade de la Mosson.

Montpellier HSC possible starting lineup:

Lecomte; Sacko, Kouyate, Esteve, Sainte-Luce; Chotard, Ferri; Al-Tamari, Savanier, Khazri; Adams

Clermont possible starting lineup:

Diaw; Ogier, Caufriez, Pelmard; Konate, Keita, Gonalons, Magnin, Borges; Muhammed Cham, Nicholson

We say: Montpellier HSC 2-1 Clermont

Although Montpellier are winless in their last three matches, they have won both of their last two home Ligue 1 meetings with Clermont, and we think they will utilise home advantage once again to claim a narrow victory in Wednesday's encounter.

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