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

Both sides have slipped down the table after worrying losing runs in recent weeks.

Match preview

Five league defeats on the bounce for Auxerre mean the newly-promoted outfit are facing the real prospect of dropping immediately back into Ligue 2.

They have conceded 15 goals in that time, with two 5-0 defeats involved which have dented confidence.

It is no surprise that no other side in Ligue 1 have conceded more, but Christophe Pelissier's side have shown improvement in the last two games.

They thrashed second-tier Niort 4-0 in the Coupe de France last week, and their last league outing saw them face high-flying Lens, who needed a Przemyslaw Frankowski penalty to win 1-0 in a close encounter.

Gaetan Perrin scored twice in that cup win to double his tally for the season and will hope to take some confidence from that into the league.

Montpellier are on a similar run of form, having lost four on the spin, one of which was to lower-league Pau FC in the cup earlier in the month.

No further cup action therefore means they had last week off to pick themselves up from 6-1 and 3-0 defeats recently to Nice and Nantes respectively.

At this stage of a Ligue 1 season, Montpellier have never lost as many games (12) or conceded as many goals (40) as they have this campaign.

A disastrous run has seen them win just one of their last 12 games, meaning they are now down in 15th, just two points from safety.

It is amazing to see Montpellier in this sort of position given that the last time they travelled to Auxerre, on the final day of the 2011-12 season, they were crowned champions with a 2-1 win, as Auxerre finished bottom.

Auxerre Ligue 1 form:

D

L

L

L

L

L

Auxerre form (all competitions):

L

L

L

L

L

W

Montpellier HSC Ligue 1 form:

D

D

W

L

L

L

Team News

Goalkeeper Benoit Costil has left Auxerre in the last week to join Lille, but the man they have brought in to replace him, Ionut Radu, is an injury doubt having not played for almost four months.

Fellow loanee Kays Ruiz-Atil is also out injured, as is Theo Pellenard who is a long-term absentee.

Elisha Owusu could make his league debut after arriving from Gent this month.

Wahbi Khazri and Elye Wahi were both sent off against Nantes for Montpellier and will be suspended here, while Theo Sainte-Luce (knee) and Pedro Mendes (thigh) are both out injured.

They have lost Nicolas Cozza and Jonas Omlin to the Bundesliga this month, but they have moved quick to add former keeper Benjamin Lecomte and Kiki Kouyate to fill the gaps.

Auxerre possible starting lineup:

Leon; Zedadka, Jubal, Jeanvier, Raveloson, Mensah; M'Changama, Toure, Autret, Perrin; Niang

Montpellier HSC possible starting lineup:

Lecomte; Tchato, Jullien, Sakho, Maouassa; Ferri, Leroy, Savanier; Makounana, Germain, Mavididi

We say: Auxerre 1-1 Montpellier HSC

With both sides looking to end respective losing runs in the league, both may cancel each other out here.

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