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

Both teams have scored more than the current top two but remarkably find themselves near the bottom of the Ligue 1 standings.

Match preview

Lorient's last four Ligue 1 encounters have been the place to be for goals, as those fixtures have produced an astonishing 20.

Plenty of goals have gone in at the right and wrong end recently, but it is nearly six hours since Lorient last scored a home goal against Montpellier.

They also enter the clash showing no form at all after another defeat last week which saw them go down 5-3 at Nantes - the first time they have scored three goals and lost in 13 years.

After an extremely positive start which saw Regis Le Bris's side draw at Paris Saint-Germain, hold second-place Nice and thrash Lille 4-1, Lorient have fallen off a cliff.

Romain Faivre's 97th-minute equaliser against Monaco is the only thing that has stopped Lorient from suffering three straight defeats.

The two games either side of that draw saw them get hammered by recently-promoted Le Havre, before losing in that eight-goal thriller at Nantes last weekend.

While they are currently in a rut, Le Bris's open style of play has actually often worked this year, especially here at the Stade du Moustoir, because despite only keeping one clean sheet in their last 14 games, they have suffered defeat just three times in their last 14 home matches.

Like Lorient, Montpellier have also been an extremely entertaining side to watch, especially since Michel Der Zakarian took over.

In Montpellier's last 12 Ligue 1 matches, there have been 45 goals, a truly incredible figure for such a long stretch of matches.

Der Zakarian's side have been particularly prolific away from home, scoring 20 in their last seven matches on the road.

Four of them came at Lyon on the second weekend of the season, but that remains their only win of the season so far.

A first 0-0 draw in 50 Ligue 1 outings against Rennes last weekend leaves Montpellier a little too close to the drop zone coming into this intriguing encounter.

With Lyon and Lens both in the relegation zone at the moment, that is cause for concern for both sides, as it is unlikely those two will remain there for much longer.

Lorient Ligue 1 form:

D

D

W

L

D

L

Montpellier HSC Ligue 1 form:

D

W

L

L

D

D

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Team News

Lorient have a very long list of absentees at present, but Le Bris could welcome most of them back in the coming weeks.

Quentin Boisgard is yet to feature since returning from a loan spell at Pau FC with a foot injury, while fellow midfielder Bonke Innocent is also absent with a groin problem.

January signing Bamba Dieng will miss out with a groin injury, while a femur contusion currently keeps Ayman Kari on the sidelines.

New signing Tiemoue Bakayoko is yet to make his debut on his return to French football after three seasons away, after arriving from Chelsea with very little match fitness.

Arnaud Nordin and Theo Sainte-Luce will both miss out for Montpellier as they recover from respective thigh injuries.

Captain Teji Savanier is set to start in midfield and will hope to continue a fine run against Lorient, which has seen him score in his last three meetings with them.

Lorient possible starting lineup:

Mvogo; Talbi, Laporte, Toure; Kalulu, Abergel, Ponceau, Le Goff; Faivre, Tosin, Kroupi

Montpellier HSC possible starting lineup:

Lecomte; Sacko, Omeragic, Kouyate, Sylla; Chotard, Ferri, Savanier; Al Tamari, Adams, Khazri

We say: Lorient 2-2 Montpellier HSC

Both sides have been among the goals frequently this season, but letting in too many means they are both early relegation candidates.

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