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

Olivier Dall'Oglio's time in the Paillade dugout came to an end with a 1-0 loss to Lens last time out, while Laurent Blanc's Lyon stint began with a 3-2 defeat to Rennes.

Match preview

Despite developing a reputation for exciting attacking football at Brest, Olivier Dall'Oglio - who job-swapped with fellow sacking victim Michel Der Zakarian - has been relieved of his Montpellier duties after a dampening string of results.

The final nail in Dall'Oglio's coffin came at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis, where skipper Teji Savanier - so often the hero of the hour for La Paillade - became the villain, as his mistake put the ball on a plate for Wesley Said to score the winner in the 67th minute.

Faitout Maouassa's goal-bound header was then magnificently kept out by Kevin Danso as Dall'Oglio bid his farewells to Montpellier, who will be under the tutelage of former midfielder Romain Pitau until a search for a replacement kicks into gear during the World Cup break.

Defeat to Lens represented Montpellier's third in a row in the top flight, as well as their fifth loss from their last six, but Pitau's situation is hardly disastrous, as La Paillade occupy a healthy 11th place in the table and are eight points clear of the four-team relegation zone.

Picking up just a fifth win from 21 Ligue 1 games will be a tall order for Pitau in his first game, but Montpellier have followed a pattern of winning one then losing one at the Stade de la Mosson this term - their most recent home game ended in defeat to Monaco by two goals to nil.

Peter Bosz was seemingly on borrowed time at Lyon for a while, and Les Gones have turned to four-time Ligue 1-winning coach Laurent Blanc to turn their fortunes around, but the former France and Paris Saint-Germain boss did not get off to the perfect start.

Alexandre Lacazette scored two goals either side of Martin Terrier's header and a close-range finish from Amine Gouiri against his former club in last weekend's clash with Rennes, but Terrier used his head once again to seal a 3-2 win for Les Rouges et Noir.

The Gones faithful are growing restless for a win, having seen their side pick up just one point from the last 18 available in Ligue 1, and that run of form means that Lyon sit just one place and two points above Montpellier in 10th heading into Saturday's game.

The visitors' away form will not be music to the ears of supporters either, as Lyon hold the unwanted honour of being the division's worst-performing side on the road, losing each of their last four on rival turf since drawing 1-1 with Reims in August.

Granted, those fixtures all came against high-flyers in Lorient, Rennes, Monaco and Lens, but a club of Lyon's calibre cannot be seen taking zero points from such matches. Nevertheless, Les Gones enjoyed goal-laden success over Montpellier last term, doing the double over La Paillade by an aggregate score of 6-2.

Montpellier HSC Ligue 1 form:

L

L

W

L

L

L

Lyon Ligue 1 form:

L

L

L

L

D

L

Team News

Montpellier midfield regular Jordan Ferri will be back from a yellow card suspension for the visit of Lyon, and the 30-year-old should come straight back in for a man 12 years his junior in Khalil Fayad.

Dimitry Bertaud and Theo Sainte-Luce will not be seen until the final weeks of the season due to ACL injuries, while defensive duo Pedro Mendes and Mamadou Sakho may also miss out again with muscular and calf problems respectively.

Pitau should not alter the harmony of his squad too much for his first game in charge, with Elye Wahi set to fend off competition from Valere Germain and Wahbi Khazri to lead the line before serving a suspension against Rennes next weekend.

As for Lyon, luckless midfielder Corentin Tolisso started the first game of the Blanc reign but had to come off just before half time with a thigh injury, and the Frenchman may or may not be ready to return to action before the World Cup.

Blanc set up in a 3-5-2 formation for his first game, and either Thiago Mendes, Jeff Reine-Adelaide or Johann Lepenant could take Tolisso's place, but the latter - a regular of Bosz's - was not even in the squad last weekend.

Julian Pollersbeck is the only other occupant of the treatment room alongside Tolisso, and Houssem Aouar in particular seems likely to benefit from Blanc's introduction as he aims to start back-to-back games.

Montpellier HSC possible starting lineup:

Omlin; Tchato, Jullien, Esteve, Cozza; Ferri, Chotard; Nordin, Savanier, Mavididi; Wahi

Lyon possible starting lineup:

Lopes; Lukeba, Boateng, Diomande; Gusto, Mendes, Aouar, Caqueret, Tagliafico; Lacazette, Dembele

We say: Montpellier HSC 1-2 Lyon

There were plenty of things to like about Lyon's first performance under Blanc, and facing a Montpellier side who are also in disarray could be just the ticket for Les Gones to end their winless habit.

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