Preview: Angers vs. Rennes - prediction, team news, lineups

The visitors, meanwhile, could move up to third in the table with a victory depending on results elsewhere.

Match preview

Having survived in each of the last seven seasons in Ligue 1 - never finishing below 14th during that period - Angers appear to be in danger of returning to France's second tier in the next campaign.

With Ligue 1 reducing its number of teams from 20 to 18 over a two-year period, there is an extra relegation place this season, with Angers sitting second from bottom ahead of their home match against Rennes at the weekend.

As such, head coach Gerald Baticle is coming under some pressure in his second season in charge of the club, with three successive defeats hardly helping his cause. Indeed, nine goals shipped during those three losses suggests that the 53-year-old needs to focus on shoring things up defensively; no team has conceded more than Les Noirs et Blancs so far this season.

It is hardly an ideal time for them to be facing Rennes, then, given that only Paris Saint-Germain have scored more goals than their forthcoming opponents. A fourth consecutive defeat would see Angers drop to the foot of the table should Brest win away to Clermont Foot.

After enduring a slow start to the campaign, Rennes have gathered significant momentum in recent weeks, winning five successive matches in all competitions ahead of their trip to Angers on Sunday.

Having finished fourth in Ligue 1 last season, missing out on Champions League qualification by just three points, there is a sense that they should be going one better by claiming a top three place this season having spent close to £70m gross during the summer transfer window.

Amine Gouiri, who represented the club's marquee summer signing in a £25m move from Nice, bagged for the third league game running in last weekend's crucial 3-2 win against Lyon, which helped move his side within three points of third-placed Lens heading into the weekend's action.

Bruno Genesio's side have already secured their progression to the Europa League knockout stages with two matches to spare - although they will hope to pip Fenerbahce to top spot - meaning that they can focus on closing that gap between now and the World Cup, with nothing less than a victory expected against their struggling opponents on Sunday.

Angers Ligue 1 form:

L

W

W

L

L

L

Rennes Ligue 1 form:

D

W

D

W

W

W

Rennes form (all competitions):

D

W

W

W

W

W

Team News

Angers are likely to be without one of their most talented forwards in the shape of Lois Diony for the rest of the season after he sustained a cruciate ligament rupture earlier in the campaign.

Sunday's fixture may come too soon for Ilyes Chetti, Ali Kalla and Ulrick Eneme-Ella, with Baticle unlikely to make any changes from the team which lost 3-2 to Toulouse last time out.

Rennes, meanwhile, will remain without the suspended Joe Rodon after the Wales defender's straight red card against Nantes, while Baptiste Santamaria is out until the New Year with an ankle injury.

Genesio is likely to name the same starting XI which edged Lyon to victory last weekend, with Arnaud Kalimuendo joining Gouiri in attack.

Angers possible starting lineup:

Fofana; Valery, Hountondji, Amadou, Mendy, Doumbia; Hunou, Bentaleb, Abdelli; Sima, Boufal

Rennes possible starting lineup:

LMandanda; Assignon, Wooh, Theate, Truffert; Bourigeaud, Xeka, Tait, Terrier; Kalimuendo, Gouiri

We say: Angers 1-3 Rennes

We expect Rennes' attacking quality to be too much for Angers to handle on Sunday.

It is a meeting between Ligue 1's worst defence and second best attack, making by far the most likely outcome an away win in what should be an entertaining affair.

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