Saint-Etienne welcome Bordeaux to the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard on Saturday evening, in a clash of Ligue 1's two bottom sides.

Neither team has managed a win yet this campaign, and they have conceded a combined 21 goals in just five games.

Match preview

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A reasonable - if frustrating - start to the season for Saint-Etienne, with three draws from their opening three games, has quickly transformed into a poor one.

They followed up those draws with back-to-back losses so, what could have been seen as a three-game unbeaten streak - if your cup is half-full - has suddenly turned into a five-game winless streak.

Last weekend's game saw Les Verts thoroughly beaten by Montpellier, as a goal in each half, from Stephy Mavididi and Valere Germain, secured a comfortable 2-0 victory.

Claude Puel's time at the club has not been overly convincing, having taken charge of a team that finished fourth and only narrowly avoided relegation the following season.

Much of last season was also spent hovering in and around the relegation zone - until a stronger finish to the season saw them climb to mid-table - and many fans appear to consider Puel fortunate to have retained his job.

The pressure will only continue to mount if he is unable to turn their fortunes around soon.

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Saturday's game will probably provide their best chance to do so, as Saint-Etienne meet the only side below them in the league.

It has been a start to forget for Bordeaux, who have been out of sorts in the opening five games of the season, and now find themselves propping up the table.

The international break did nothing to help break the trend as they suffered another painful defeat last weekend at home to Lens.

The hosts were two down at half time but fought back - a Ricardo Mangas goal on the hour mark gave them hope and it appeared as though Jean Onana had, at least, earned a point when he equalised in the 88th minute.

It was not to be, though, as Florian Sotoca struck six minutes into added time from the penalty spot, after Stian Gregersen had been penalised for handball on his Bordeaux debut.

Vladimir Petkovic must find a way to turn his side's form around soon or their fall in recent years, from a top-half side to a bottom-half one, could become a bigger descent all the way to Ligue 2.

Team News

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Saint-Etienne have a couple of injury issues, with Alpha Sissoko and Aimen Moueffek yet to recover from a thigh injury and a broken arm respectively.

Charles Abi has completed his period of isolation after testing positive for COVID-19, however, and could return - at least from the bench - to the attacking end of Puel's favoured 4-3-3 formation.

Bordeaux have more players on the sidelines than their opponents.

Josh Maja is still struggling with a back injury and may find that this fixture comes too soon for a return, whilst Issouf Sissokho is likely to be out for the rest of the month after a positive COVID-19 test and Paul Baysse is a long-term absence with an ACL injury.

Alberth Elis is still waiting to make his debut for the club, after joining on loan from Boavista to bolster the attacking options, but will not be doing so this weekend as he recovers from a broken foot.

Saint-Etienne possible starting lineup:
Green; Macon, Sow, Moukoudi, Kolodziejczak; Neyou, Camara, Youssouf; Hamouma, Khazri, Bouanga

Bordeaux possible starting lineup:
Costil; Oudin, Kwateng, Koscielny, Mangas, Mensah; Otavio, Onana, Fransergio; Hwang, Mara

We say: Saint-Etienne 2-1 Bordeaux

Both teams are determined to return to winning ways in the top flight, but seeing as Saint-Etienne can be a force to be reckoned with at home on their day, we predict that the visitors will return to the south-west empty-handed after a narrow loss.

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