Preview: Clermont vs. Strasbourg - prediction, team news, lineups

The hosts climbed to 17th spot in the Ligue 1 table with a win last time out but remain two points adrift of safety, while their visitors sit ninth thanks to their recent improvement and got the better of Clermont last weekend.

Match preview

Clermont head into the weekend in search of another victory in the fight for Ligue 1 survival this term, having made a crucial return to winning ways last time out after enduring a dismal start to the campaign.

At the halfway stage of the season, Pascal Gastien's side found themselves at the foot of the French top flight, having only amassed 11 points from their first 17 outings, winning just two of those while suffering 10 defeats.

That was largely down to a poor attacking record, with Les Lanciers' 13 goals the fewest in the division at this stage, but on the back of consecutive defeats at the hands of Marseille and Rennes, Gastien's men were able to end a six-game wait for a third notch in their wins column in their last Ligue 1 outing in mid-January.

They travelled to Nantes and went ahead through Shamar Nicholson, and after the game looked set to end in a 1-1 draw, Jim Allevinah popped up with a decisive goal in the 89th minute to snatch all three points.

Now heading into a second straight meeting with Strasbourg, after dropping out of the Coupe de France at their hands last time out with Mehdi Zeffane's goal the only consolation, Clermont have all their focus on avoiding the drop this term and will set out to bridge the two-point gap to safety with a second straight league win on Sunday.

That will be no easy task, though, as the visitors travel with the aim of making it consecutive wins over Clermont and extending a fine run of form in Ligue 1.

Following a 15th-placed finish last time around in France's top flight, Strasbourg experienced a similarly slow start to the new term, amassing 14 points from their first 14 games and putting just three wins on the board while suffering six defeats.

Patrick Vieira's side have certainly kicked on since, though, adding 10 more points to their tally in their last four attempts, as they initially scored three consecutive 2-1 triumphs over Le Havre, Lorient and Lille in December.

A trip to Marseille followed in their first Ligue 1 outing of the new year, and Le Racing were able to extend their unbeaten streak with a creditable 1-1 draw, despite trailing from the third minute, as Jeremy Sebas levelled the scores in injury time, before they most recently travelled to take on Clermont in the Coupe de France last Sunday and booked a round-of-16 spot with a 3-1 triumph having gone three goals up by the hour mark through Abakar Sylla, Habib Diarra and Dilane Bakwa.

Now with plenty of momentum behind them and the chance to climb into the top eight in France's top flight, Strasbourg will set out to replicate Sunday's display and put up another victory over Clermont on their travels.

Clermont Ligue 1 form:

D

L

D

L

L

W

Clermont form (all competitions):

D

L

L

W

W

L

Strasbourg Ligue 1 form:

L

D

W

W

W

D

Strasbourg form (all competitions):

W

W

W

W

D

W

Team News

Clermont remain without several key players heading into the weekend's meeting, with first-choice goalkeeper Mory Diaw away on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations, while Alidu Seidu is unlikely to return to contention in time to feature despite Ghana's exit from the competition.

Theo Borne deputised between the sticks for the Coupe de France tie between these sides last weekend, and he should keep his place on Sunday with Andy Pelmard, Florent Ogier and Maximiliano Caufriez all hoping to again line up in a back three.

Elsewhere, Johan Gastien will likely return to join Maxime Gonalons in the middle of their 3-4-3 setup from the outset, while Shamar Nicholson should continue to lead the line with support from Muhammed Cham and Lille loanee Alan Virginius.

Strasbourg should certainly field a similar starting XI to the one that featured in the 3-1 triumph over Sunday's opponents in their previous meeting last time out, although Kevin Gameiro is likely to return and lead the line from the outset after being reduced to a substitute appearance in the Coupe de France tie.

He should have support from Dilane Bakwa and Angelo Gabriel on the wings, while Habib Diarra is another key man and should complete the supporting trio in an advanced midfield role.

Behind them, Junior Mwanga and Ibrahima Sissoko should again partner up in the engine room, while Lucas Perrin and Abakar Sylla are bound to keep their places in the middle of the back four.

Clermont possible starting lineup:

Borne; Pelmard, Ogier, Caufriez; Allevinah, Gonalons, Gastien, Borges; Cham, Nicholson, Virginius

Strasbourg possible starting lineup:

Bellaarouch; Senaya, Perrin, Sylla, Guilbert; Mwanga, Sissoko; Bakwa, Diarra, Gabriel; Gameiro

We say: Clermont 1-2 Strasbourg

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