Two sides in desperate need of a positive result in Ligue 1 will meet on Sunday evening when Toulouse travel to Stade de la Mosson-Mondial 98 to face Montpellier HSC.
Both these sides are in the thick of the early-season relegation scrap, with the hosts currently bottom of the table, while the visitors are the first side above the dotted line.
Match preview
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Montpellier have experienced a dismal start to the Ligue 1 season - after eight games they have managed just four points, losing six matches already while playing to a draw against Strasbourg and beating newly promoted Auxerre.
La Paillade enter this match following a thumping 5-0 loss to Marseille at this venue last week, which was their third league defeat in a row, a period during which they conceded 11 goals and scored three.
That loss to Les Phoceens was not their biggest of the season having gone down 6-0 to Paris Saint-Germain on the road in gameweek two, and they have now let in 26 goals this term, which is the most a team has conceded in the top-flight since Rennes in 1969-70.
Following last week's defeat, the club opted to sack Michel Der Zakarian after almost two years at the helm, replacing the Armenian with Jean-Louis Gasset, who will take charge of his first match in Montpellier this weekend.
At home this season, the hosts have played four matches to date, winning one, drawing one and losing one, though it should be noted that Montpellier have not lost two in succession on their home patch since February 2023.
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Meanwhile, Toulouse have not fared much better than their upcoming opponents over the early stages of this season, managing just six points so far, which came via one win, three draws and four losses.
Six points after eight games marks Les Violets' lowest tally at this stage of the season in over two decades (2003-04) when they ended up finishing 16th at the end of the campaign.
Last weekend, Le Tef came from behind to salvage a 1-1 draw at home against Angers to bring an end to a three-match losing streak, two of which were away games, marking the first time the side has lost consecutive league matches on the road in 2024.
Interestingly, Carles Martinez's side will likely be looking to exact revenge in this match more than most, as they were the only team to lose to Montpellier both home and away in the league last season.
Team News
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Montpellier saw their already lengthy absentee list added to last weekend, with Stefan Dzodic being shown red against Marseille and he will start the first match of his suspension in the one.
Joining the midfielder on the sidelines this weekend are injury absentees, Boubakar Kouyate (knee), Yanis Issoufou (muscle), Mousa Tamari (ankle), Othmane Maamma (hamstring) and Theo Sainte-Luce (thigh).
Christopher Jullien is only expected to return to action next year as he continues his recovery from surgery and Khalil Fayad is flagged as a doubt owing to a knock to his leg.
For the visitors, both centre-back Rasmus Nicolaisen and winger Gabriel Suazo missed the team's last match against Angers due to knocks and their participation in this match is in doubt.
Joshua King opened his account for the season last weekend and should keep his place in the three-man attack, likely alongside Zakaria Aboukhlal and top-scorer for Toulouse Shavy Babicka.
Montpellier HSC possible starting lineup:
Lecomte; Sacko, Omeragic, Sagnan, Sylla; Nzingoula, Chotard; Savanier, Coulibaly, Nordin; Adams
Toulouse possible starting lineup:
Restes; Cresswell, Mckenzie, Akdag; Sidibe, Sierro, Casseres Jr, Gboho; Aboukhlal, Babicka, King
We say: Montpellier HSC 1-1 Toulouse
While Montpellier did the double over the opponent last season, they have been exceptionally poor this term, and come into this match following three consecutive defeats during which they conceded 11 times.
Indeed, Toulouse have not been great either this season, but they have been solid defensively, allowing only 11 goals to date, and we feel they will be able to take at least a point from this match.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Devesh Jaganath
