Monacovs.Toulouse

After appearing as though they had turned a corner, Monaco have slumped to two straight defeats once again, threatening their hopes of a top-three finish.

Match preview

Adi Hutter's men showed great resolve to recover from back-to-back defeats last month, including being shocked at home by Angers, winning three straight games in all competitions.

However, two more defeats have now followed, both of which came in gut-wrenching circumstances in hugely important encounters.

Monaco were unable to extend their brilliant start in the Champions League, conceding two goals in the final five minutes against Benfica to lose 3-2 last midweek, before Mason Greenwood's 89th-minute penalty condemned them to a 2-1 defeat at Marseille in their last outing.

After losing just twice in 55 games when scoring the first goal prior to this run, to do so in two consecutive matches will be difficult to stomach for the Monaco squad, who now need to pick themselves up ahead of another crucial week.

The league phase of the Champions League is reaching its crescendo with Monaco still in a good position inside the top eight, and they remain in the automatic qualifying places for that competition in Ligue 1, but any more slip ups this week will see that change.

Sitting seven points behind Paris Saint-Germain suggests their title chances are all but gone, and Marseille overtook them on goal difference last weekend, but they remain three points clear of Lille, who are fourth.

Home form of late suggests they can bounce back, considering that the Angers result remains their only defeat in 11 league games at the Stade Louis II, but they must improve their fortunes against Toulouse, who have won on their last two visits here.

Those results have come from nowhere for Toulouse, who had only won two of their previous 16 at this venue, and form in general has improved dramatically in recent weeks for Carles Martinez's side.

The Spanish manager was under pressure early in the campaign, with Toulouse in the relegation zone, and even though they remain in the bottom half, they now find themselves just two points off the European places.

Apart from losing to PSG, Toulouse have won the other four of their five previous games, the same number of victories they managed in the 15 matches prior.

The most recent of those came last week against an Auxerre side that had taken 13 points from five games heading into the clash, but the Violets were well worth their success, coming out on top 2-0.

It means they have now picked up twice as many points in their last five games (12) than they managed in their first eight games of the campaign (six), and defensive stability has been behind that, with all five wins this season being accompanied with a clean sheet.

Monaco Ligue 1 form:

D

L

L

W

W

L

Monaco form (all competitions):

L

W

W

W

L

L

Toulouse Ligue 1 form:

D

W

W

W

L

W

Team News

Monaco will need to assess the health of midfielder Lamine Camara ahead of this one, after he missed the defeat to Marseille with illness last weekend, while winger Krepin Diatta is a confirmed absentee with a muscle problem, and he is unlikely to return before the winter break.

Folarin Balogun made his first start in almost two months last week, after recovering from a dislocated shoulder, and it will be between him and Breel Embolo over who will start in attack.

Monaco go to Balogun's former club Arsenal next midweek, and it is unclear whether Hutter will rotate or prioritise one of the two upcoming games, but Aleksandr Golovin will hope to start again as he seeks to score in three straight Ligue 1 games for the first time.

Toulouse's teenage goalkeeper Guillaume Restes was forced off in the final 20 minutes of their win over Auxerre last week, but despite the initial concern, it is expected he will be fit to start again here.

The only injury worry concerns Dane Rasmus Nicolaisen, whose ankle injury will keep him sidelined for a few more weeks.

There are unlikely to be any changes to the Toulouse side after their fine win last week, with Josh King among those in great form, having scored four goals in his last six appearances.

Monaco possible starting lineup:

Majecki; Vanderson, Kehrer, Singo, Caio Henrique; Zakaria, Magassa; Akliouche, Golovin, Ben Seghir; Balogun

Toulouse possible starting lineup:

Restes; Sidibe, Cresswell, McKenzie; Donnum, Casseres, Sierro, Suazo; Aboukhlal, King, Gboho

We say: Monaco 1-1 Toulouse

It will be far from straightforward for Monaco to return to winning ways here against a Toulouse side that have dropped very few points in recent weeks.

Written by

Andrew Delaney

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