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AJ Auxerre
Ligue 1 | Gameweek 19
Jan 24, 2025 at 7.45pm UK
Stade de l'Abbe Deschamps
Saint-Etienne

Auxerre
1 - 1
St Etienne

Traore (27')
Jubal (68'), Massengo (84')
FT(HT: 1-1)
Stassin (45')

Preview: Auxerre vs. Saint-Etienne - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Friday's Ligue 1 clash between Auxerre and Saint-Etienne, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

The Ligue 1 weekend gets underway at the Stade de l'Abbe Deschamps on Friday night, when a faltering Auxerre side face relegation-threatened Saint-Etienne.

Christophe Pelissier has seen his side's form fall off a cliff in recent weeks, while Les Verts are battling near the bottom as expected on their return to the top flight.


Match preview

Auxerre's Hamed Traore on December 6, 2024© Imago

At the start of December, Auxerre were well in the hunt for European football, following a run of 13 points in five matches to end November.

However, AJA have not won since in any competition, taking just three points from six Ligue 1 games, and suffering a shock Coupe de France defeat at home to Dunkerque.

The worst result of their faltering league form came last weekend too, losing 2-0 away to Angers, with Gabriel Osho's early red card hardly helping matters.

These results have seen Pelissier's men slump to 11th, with Angers moving level on points with them after that win last weekend, while Reims have also closed the gap.

Auxerre were in the top seven less than two months ago, but now they find themselves as close to the relegation zone than they are to there, with upcoming opponents Saint-Etienne occupying that final relegation place.

Hoping to end their worst run of home form (four without a win) since they suffered relegation in 2022-23, Auxerre will hope they can repeat the performance they enjoyed against Les Verts in Ligue 2 last season, winning 5-2 here.

However, the visitors won 3-1 in the reverse fixture back in October, and have enjoyed something of a resurgence under new manager Eirik Horneland, who arrived during the brief winter break.

Saint-Etienne boss Eirik Horneland on December 1, 2024© Imago

Despite starting the weekend in the bottom three, Horneland has led Saint-Etienne to four points from his opening three games, and they only narrowly lost 2-1 away to league leaders Paris Saint-Germain two weeks ago.

Goal difference is all that separates them with Rennes and Nantes, who sit just above the drop zone, and it was the Canaries who Saint-Etienne faced last weekend, with Augustine Boakye salvaging a point late on for Horneland's side.

Nantes are also the only team they have taken a point against away from home this season, though, losing all five since, conceding 14 goals in the process.

Letting in almost 3.5 goals-per-game on the road in Ligue 1 this season illustrates why Saint-Etienne find themselves where they are, but things could be changing for the better under the new manager, who restricted an often free-scoring PSG to just two goals in his only away game so far.

Form on the road is unlikely to improve much with their upcoming fixtures, though, with three of their next four coming away from the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard including trips to high-flying Marseille and Lille.

Auxerre Ligue 1 form:


Auxerre form (all competitions):


Saint-Etienne Ligue 1 form:


Saint-Etienne form (all competitions):



Team News

Saint Etienne player Ibrahim Sissoko pictured on August 30, 2024© Imago

Osho's red card at Angers last week means the Auxerre defender will be suspended here, along with Paul Joly, who was sent off a week earlier against Lille.

Also in defence, Jubal missed the defeat at Angers with an adductor injury, and it is unlikely he will return in time for this one.

Auxerre have yet to enter the transfer market, but they have seen one of their players leave this month, with Malagasy midfielder Rayan Raveloson moving to Swiss champions Young Boys.

Saint-Etienne are a club notorious for their youth academy, and the next possible graduate made his full debut last weekend, with Djylian N'Guessan becoming the 11th-youngest starter in Ligue 1 history after only turning 16 in August, but last week's hero Boakye must start, and it could be the youngster he replaces.

The visitors have two players suspended for this one, with Ibrahim Sissoko out after his dismissal against Marseille, which was upgraded to a seven-match ban, while Benjamin Bouchouari has reached the yellow card limit.

Goalkeeper Gautier Larsonneur has been a busy man between the sticks for Saint-Etienne this season, but he will hope to continue a fine career record against Auxerre in which he is unbeaten in all previous six clashes - winning five.

Auxerre possible starting lineup:
Larsonneur; Appiah, Batubinsika, Nade, Petrot; Fomba, Bouchouari, Mouton; Boakye, Stassin, Davitashvili

Saint-Etienne possible starting lineup:
Leon; Hoever, Diomande, Akpa, Mensah; Perrin, Diousse, Owusu, Massengo, Traore; Sinayoko


SM words green background

We say: Auxerre 1-2 Saint-Etienne

Auxerre's bubble has burst in dramatic fashion, having now gone seven games without a win, with only Le Havre taking fewer points since the start of December.

Saint-Etienne may be down in the bottom three still, but the improvements they have made under Horneland are there for all to see, and they will fancy their chances against an out-of-form Auxerre.


For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.




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Written by
Andrew Delaney

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Game History

How you voted: Auxerre vs St Etienne

Auxerre
49.3%
Draw
29.6%
Saint-Etienne
21.1%
71
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 Marseille midfielder Adrien Rabiot pictured on November 23, 2024
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rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Paris Saint-GermainPSG22175059203956
2Marseille22144450262446
3MonacoMonaco22124644291540
4Nice21107441261537
5Lille2198434221235
6Lyon2196636261033
7Lens219662520533
8Brest22102103538-332
9StrasbourgStrasbourg218673532330
10Toulouse227692325-227
11Auxerre226793137-625
12Rennes2172122930-123
13Angers2165102231-923
14Reims215792633-722
15NantesNantes224992539-1421
16Saint-EtienneSt Etienne2253142050-3018
17Le HavreLe Havre2152141740-2317
18Montpellier HSCMontpellier2143142048-2815


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