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

The hosts suffered a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Trabzonspor in the Europa League on Thursday and will aim to bounce back and climb into the top four of the Ligue 1 table.

Match preview

Monaco experienced an underwhelming start to the Ligue 1 campaign, as a defeat to Troyes left them on just five points from the opening five league games with one win on their record.

Philippe Clement's side would bounce back with hard-fought victories over Nice and Lyon and now find themselves in a much-improved position on the back of five straight victories in the top flight to move within touching distance of the top four.

While navigating through the early stages of the Europa League group stage, the Monegasques continued their improvement with 3-0 and 4-1 victories over Reims and Nantes respectively, before climbing to the top of their continental group with a 3-1 beating of Turkish champions Trabzonspor.

On their return to league action, Clement's men made it five on the bounce with a 2-0 win away at Montpellier, thanks to goals from Breel Embolo and Myron Boadu but would see their momentum halted in midweek, being on the wrong end of a 4-0 thrashing in their return fixture against Trabzonspor, as their opponents went ahead through a Malang Sarr own goal before Vitor Hugo, Enis Bardhi and Trezeguet got on the scoresheet in the second half.

Now aiming to bounce back from that heavy defeat, and with the top four in their sights, Monaco will go in search of a sixth straight Ligue 1 triumph on Sunday.

That will be no easy task, though, as Clermont arrive on the back of consecutive triumphs of their own, having quickly climbed into the top half after earning 10 points from their opening eight outings.

Following a draw with Strasbourg and a defeat to Troyes, Pascal Gastien's side bounced back with a 3-1 victory away at AC Ajaccio, after the game looked set to end level, as Elbasan Rashani and Jodel Dossou got on the scoresheet in the dying embers.

They would then host Auxerre last time out, with the aim of putting back-to-back wins on the board, and Les Lanciers again triumphed courtesy of goals from Saif-Eddine Khaoui and Grejohn Kyei.

With those victories taking them into eighth place, with just a four-point gap up to their fifth-placed opponents and two points separating themselves and sixth-placed Rennes, Gastien's side will look to take an impressive scalp at the Stade Louis II at the weekend.

Monaco Ligue 1 form:

L

W

W

W

W

W

Monaco form (all competitions):

L

W

W

W

W

L

Clermont Ligue 1 form:

L

W

D

L

W

W

Team News

Monaco will likely stick with their regular 4-4-2 setup, and Clement could bring about several changes in personnel after their heavy defeat in Turkey, with the likes of Myron Boadu, Takumi Minamino, Kevin Volland, Ismail Jakobs and Gelson Martins all vying to come in from the outset.

Wissam Ben Yedder and Breel Embolo are more likely to keep their places up front, though, having scored seven and five goals respectively so far this season.

The midfield pairing of Youssouf Fofana and Mohamed Camara should stay untouched, while Chelsea loanee Malang Sarr is fighting to stay in the starting XI at centre-back.

Clermont could make the trip with the same team that beat Auxerre last week, with Grejohn Kyei bound to again lead the line after netting their second goal in that game.

He should be flanked by Elbasan Rashani and Saif-Eddine Khaoui, who also got on the scoresheet last time out, although Komnen Andric is also pushing for a starting spot in the attacking line.

At the other end of the pitch, Alidu Seidu, Mateusz Wieteska and Maximiliano Caufriez are likely to again form the back three in front of goalkeeper Mory Diaw.

Monaco possible starting lineup:

Nubel; Vanderson, Disasi, Sarr, Henrique; Golovin, Camara, Fofana, Minamino; Ben Yedder, Embolo

Clermont possible starting lineup:

Diaw; Seidu, Wieteska, Caufriez; Magnin, Gonalons, Gastien, Borges; Khaoui, Rashani; Kyei

We say: Monaco 2-1 Clermont

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