Montpellier HSC will aim to continue their climb away from the bottom end of the Ligue 1 table on Sunday, when they host basement side Angers.
La Paillade have quickly built a lead over the drop zone thanks to an upturn in form in recent weeks, while their visitors remain rooted to the foot of the division with just 10 points on the board.
Match preview
© Reuters
Montpellier had to endure a tough first half to the Ligue 1 campaign this season, as they sat on just 17 points from their opening 19 league outings, before putting an important 2-0 win away at Auxerre on the board in late January.
That would be followed by two further defeats to Paris Saint-Germain and Strasbourg, leaving La Paillade in a particularly concerning position at the bottom end of France's top flight, but they have since bounced back in impressive fashion to drastically improve their survival hopes in recent weeks under the new management of Michel Der Zakarian.
His tenure began with a home contest against fellow strugglers Brest, and La Paillade dished out a 3-0 beating, as they quickly went ahead through a Christophe Herelle own goal before Teji Savanier and Elye Wahi added their names to the scoresheet.
They then took on Troyes away from home and looked set to leave with a point from a goalless stalemate, only for Wahbi Khazri to net an injury-time winner for Der Zakarian's men, before they made it seven points from three games under the new boss last time out, playing out a commendable 1-1 draw at home to fourth-placed Lens with Faitout Maouassa netting the equaliser on the hour mark.
Now with plenty of renewed confidence in the camp under their new boss, Montpellier have risen to 14th spot in Ligue 1 with a six-point lead over the bottom four, and they will aim to continue their climb away from the drop zone with another triumph at the weekend.
They meet an Angers side who have not managed such an improvement in their survival bid and instead find themselves slipping towards relegation.
In their 25 league outings this term, Les Noirs et Blancs have managed just two victories and 10 points, with those wins coming consecutively in September including a triumph over Sunday's opponents.
Since those three-point hauls, Abdel Bouhazama have been involved in 17 further top-flight games and suffered 15 defeats, including 13 in a row between late September and the beginning of February before playing out consecutive draws with Lorient and Auxerre.
Hoping to build on those results and put a run together in the final months of the campaign to stand a chance of remaining in the fight for survival, Les Noirs et Blancs have been unable to find a much-needed victory and now head into the weekend on the back of two further defeats, firstly losing 2-1 away at Strasbourg before they were beaten 3-1 at home to Lyon last time out, with Adballah Sima's goal coming too late to force a result for Angers.
As a result of their woes in recent months, Bouhazama's side find themselves firmly rooted to the foot of the French top flight, nine points behind 19th-placed Troyes and 11 points adrift of safety with 13 league games to go, and with their standing worsening by the week, they will know that any faint hopes are heavily reliant on starting an eye-catching run, starting with a first league win since September on Sunday.
Team News
© Reuters
Given their improvement in recent weeks, Montpellier should not make many alterations for Sunday's game, although key man Teji Savanier is bound to return in an advanced midfield role after serving a suspension last time out for a red card shown in the win over Troyes.
Savanier has netted eight goals in Ligue 1 so far this campaign and will support lone front man Elye Wahi, who has also found the net eight times in the French top flight, while Faitout Maouassa and Arnaud Nordin will offer further attacking threat from the wide areas.
We should see Der Zakarian set up his side in a 4-2-3-1 shape, with Christopher Jullien and Boubakar Kouyate partnering up in the middle of a back four and either Joris Chotard or Leo Leroy joining Jordan Ferri at the base of the midfield.
Angers could welcome a returning player of their own back into the starting XI on Sunday, after centre-back Miha Blazic served a suspension last time out, and he should rejoin Cedric Hountondji at the heart of the back line.
Key man Sofiane Boufal, who led their scoring charts with four league goals this term as well as three assists, departed late in the January transfer window, leaving plenty of attacking responsibility on new signing Ibrahima Niane, who is yet to score in four league games since joining on loan from Metz.
He could again be flanked by Amine Salama and Brighton & Hove Albion loanee Abdallah Sima, who has netted three Ligue 1 goals so far this season, while Batista Mendy and Nabil Bentaleb will continue to play key roles in the engine room.
Montpellier HSC possible starting lineup:
Lecomte; Sacko, Jullien, Kouyate, Sylla; Ferri, Chotard; Nordin, Savanier, Maouassa; Wahi
Angers possible starting lineup:
Bernardoni; Valery, Blazic, Hountondji, Ghoulam; Bentaleb, Mendy, Abdelli; Sima, Niane, Salama
We say: Montpellier HSC 3-0 Angers
Montpellier look rejuvenated under new management, and with plenty of confidence back in the camp and momentum on their side, we expect them to cruise pas an Angers side who seem to be confined to the drop.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Sam Varley
