Preview: Toulouse vs. Brest - prediction, team news, lineups

Brest, meanwhile, are aiming to move outside of France's top flight's relegation places.

Match preview

Having been promoted as Ligue 2 champions last season, Toulouse could scarcely have imagined moving eight points clear of the relegation spots after 18 games of the campaign.

Philippe Montanier's side have seriously found their shooting boots in recent weeks, building on a comfortable 2-0 win against AC Ajaccio by thrashing fifth tier side Lannion 7-1 away from home in the French Cup, before securing another big triumph on the road with a 5-0 victory against Auxerre on Wednesday.

Les Violets raced into a three-nil lead at half-time, with late goals from Zakaria Aboukhlal and Thijs Dallinga piling on the misery for their fellow promoted side, who are now languishing nine points adrift of Toulouse.

As such, former Nottingham Forest boss Montanier may be expecting all three points against another potential relegation rival on Sunday, as he aims to effectively secure his side's safety as early as possible.

Brest, meanwhile, are enduring a miserable season, with Eric Roy's appointment at the start of 2023 making the 55-year-old their third manager already this season.

Michel Der Zakarian's 16-month reign came to an end in October before Bruno Grougi was sacked after less than three months in charge, but the early signs under Roy are positive having kept two clean sheets in both games under his tutelage.

Third tier side Avranches were comfortably swept aside during a 2-0 victory in the French Cup last weekend, before Les Pirates earned a hard-fought point in a 0-0 draw against Lille on Wednesday.

Although victory would have seen them leapfrog Ajaccio and outside of Ligue 1's extended relegation zone, avoiding defeat can not be taken for granted by a side who have lost 10 of their 18 league games so far this season.

As such, another draw - and potentially clean sheet - against an in-form opponent at Stadium de Toulouse this weekend would likely serve former Nice boss Roy kindly at this early stage of his tenure.

Toulouse Ligue 1 form:

L

L

L

L

W

W

Toulouse form (all competitions):

L

L

L

L

W

W

Brest Ligue 1 form:

D

L

W

L

L

D

Team News

Toulouse are likely to be without Denis Genreau and Mikkel Desler for at least one more match due to minor muscle injuries, while Rhys Healey could miss the rest of the campaign after rupturing his cruciate ligament.

Unless Montanier has any other fitness concerns, the 58-year-old is unlikely to make any changes to the team which thrashed Auxerre in midweek, although Aboukhlal and Dallinga provide credible options after scoring from the bench.

Brest, meanwhile, will travel without Karamoko Dembele and Romain Del Castillo, with knee and calf injuries respectively likely to keep the pair out until February.

Having held Lille to a draw in midweek, Roy is unlikely to make many changes, even if he will be hoping for more from his offensive players after failing to register a single shot on target across the match.

Toulouse possible starting lineup:

Dupe; Sylla, Rouault, Nicolaisen, Diarra; Dejaegere, Spierings, Van Den Boomen; Chaibi, Onaiwu, Ratao

Brest possible starting lineup:

Bizot; Lala, Chardonnet, Herelle, Duverne; Camara, Lees-Melou, Belkebla; Honorat, Mounie, Pereira Lage

We say: Toulouse 2-0 Brest

Although Brest are yet to concede in either of their two matches since Roy's managerial appointment, we are struggling to see beyond the hosts winning this match quite comfortably in the end.

Toulouse have bagged 14 goals across their last three victories, and while that type of rate may prove unsustainable, they are definitely capable of securing a third successive league win.

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