High on the back of a very important win last weekend, Angers welcome in-form Lyon to the Stade Raymond-Kopa in Ligue 1 on Saturday night.
Lyon extended their fine unbeaten run domestically to eight matches with an emphatic victory over Nice, moving them closer to the top four ahead of this weekend's action.
Match preview
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An impressive 4-1 win over fellow European-chasers Nice saw Lyon move above them into fifth last time out.
Alexandre Lacazette netted a hat trick for Pierre Sage's side, who are now just one point behind Lille in fourth, after they dropped points against bottom-of-the-table Montpellier.
Now eight games unbeaten in Ligue 1, this is Lyon's longest streak without defeat since late 2020, when they went on a run of 16 league games undefeated, and if they can get anywhere near replicating that, they will be battling for the automatic Champions League places in the spring.
Despite all of the off-field troubles hanging over the club, with a possible demotion to Ligue 2 on the cards if they cannot clear their debts by the end of the season, Sage has done an incredible job at keeping the mood positive in the dressing room.
So much so, this is Lyon's best start to a season since the 2020-21 campaign, and they will hope to build on that before their unbeaten run will seriously be put to test away to Paris Saint-Germain next weekend.
Lyon have lost just once away to Angers since 1993, and only twice in their last 26 matches against newly-promoted opposition have they tasted defeat.
Angers have faced Lyon more times than any other club in their Ligue 1 history, and unsurprisingly, they are also the club against whom they have suffered the most defeats - 30 in 61.
More recent results give even less for the home support to be enthused about, considering they have lost 11 of their last 14 meetings with their upcoming opponents - winning only once.
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However, confidence will be high after they returned to winning ways last weekend thanks to a 1-0 win over fellow strugglers Le Havre.
Himad Abdelli scored the solitary goal to ensure Angers recorded a third win in five games, after failing to win any of their first eight on their return to the top flight.
Three wins already is just one shy of the amount Le SCO managed when they were relegated with just 18 points in the 2022-23 season, suggesting this campaign will not be as painful as that one.
The win took them above Le Havre and out of the relegation zone, but even though they have only conceded 21 goals in 13 games so far this, defensive stability remains a concern.
Angers have kept one clean sheet in 15 home games in 2024 - against Dunkerque in Ligue 2 in May - despite ending 2023 with eight successive games without conceding, and they may need to record a first since promotion if they are to claim another win here.
Team News
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Hosts Angers are set to be without Cedric Hountondji (thigh), Zinedine Ferhat (muscle) and Sidiki Cherif (thigh) for this one, while youngster Justin-Noel Kalumba remains out with a broken ankle.
Midfielder Jean-Eudes Aholou has played a big role in some of their finer moments during this campaign, scoring in two of their three wins so far, and he also netted against upcoming opponents Lyon in a Strasbourg shirt last season.
With no senior injuries of note, Sage should have a full Lyon side at his disposal for this one, and the manager has rotated often this season, especially further forward.
Malick Fofana is arguably their most exciting talent at present, and all six of his goals this season have come away from home, but that does not mean he is exempt from potential rotation, especially with a game in Europe coming up.
Hat trick-hero Lacazette could also sit this one out if Sage plans to use him from the start against Eintracht Frankfurt, despite his heroics last weekend.
Angers possible starting lineup:
Y. Fofana; Arcus, Bamba, Lefort, Hanin; Aholou, Belkebla, Abdelli; Allevinah, Dieng, El Melali
Lyon possible starting lineup:
Perri; Clinton Mata, Caleta-Car, Niakhate, Tagliafico; Veretout, Matic, Tolisso; M. Fofana, Mikautadze, Cherki
We say: Angers 0-2 Lyon
Even though Angers have lost just three of their last 10 games, and beat Monaco on the road recently, their record against Lyon provides little to be excited about, especially given the current form of the visitors.
Lyon are in the midst of their best run for four years, and even with some rotation, they will expect to get the job done against an Angers side who look likely to be fighting relegation this season.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Andrew Delaney
