Le Havre vs Auxerre Preview: Team News & Prediction
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This is a huge game down at the bottom end of Ligue 1 as Le Havre seek to avoid being dragged into the thick of it by Auxerre at Stade Oceane on Sunday afternoon.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / US – beIN Sports
How to watch online: UK – Ligue 1+ / US – beIN Sports Connect
Le Havre preview: Steady Le Havre
Didier Digard and his Le Havre side went into the international break in woeful form, finishing up with a 3-2 defeat to an improving Paris FC side at Stade Jean-Bouin in the French capital city a couple of weeks ago.
That loss means that the home team have now collected just one point from their last five matches as they sit just five points ahead of third-from-bottom Auxerre ahead of this weekend's round of fixtures.
Auxerre preview: Struggling Auxerre
Auxerre, still with Christophe Pelissier at the helm, have a chance of closing the gap on Le Havre, as well as Nice, to just two points as they head into the Ligue 1 run in in the final month or so of the campaign.
The visitors headed into the international break on the back of a much-needed victory as they hammered Stade Brest by three goals to nil at Stade de l'Abbe Deschamps with a goal from Danny Loader as well as a Bryan Okoh brace.
Le Havre team news: Lloris a doubt
Key centre-back Gauthier Lloris, brother of Hugo, is a doubt for Le Havre this weekend, while versatile midfielder Abdoulaye Toure is a confirmed injury absentee for the hosts.
Predicted XI (X-X-X-X): Diaw; Nego, Seko, Sangante, Koffi, Ebonog; Gourna-Douath, Ndiaye; Boufal; Mambimbi, Soumare
Unavailable: Toure (Injured)
Questionable: Lloris (Injured)
Auxerre team news: Leon suspended
First-choice goalkeeper Donovan Leon is now sidelined for this weekend due to suspension. As well as that, they have some injury issues as both Lasso Coulibaly and Oussama El Azzouzi remain doubtful.
Predicted XI (4-4-2): De Percin; Sy, Diomande, Okoh, Mensah; Faivre, Owusu, Danois, Oppegard; Sinayoko, Loader
Unavailable: Leon (Suspended), Buayi-Kiala (Injured)
Questionable: El Azzouzi (Injured), Coulibaly (Injured)
Le Havre vs Auxerre prediction
That victory for Auxerre ended what was a four-match winless run of form and also consisted of about 13% of the goals that they have scored this season. Le Havre themselves are a team that struggle for goals. In fact, these two have the joint worst attacking records in the French top-flight and a low-scoring encounter is to be expected for this one.
Le Havre vs Auxerre tip: Under 2.5 goals
