Sports Mole previews Sunday’s Ligue 1 clash between Auxerre and Lyon, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Looking to end a worrying losing streak in the top flight, strugglers Auxerre welcome Lyon to Stade de I’Abbe Deschamps for a Ligue 1 clash on Sunday afternoon.
Les Diplomates’ fortunes worsened last time out at the base of Angers, whilst Les Gones suffered a last-minute defeat at the hands of the European champions.
Match preview
After finishing a comfortable 12 points clear of the relegation zone on their return to this level during the 2024-25 campaign, Auxerre are well and truly stuck in the relegation mire this time around, with Sunday afternoon’s hosts looking set for serious struggle.
Les Diplomates’ winless run in Ligue 1 extended to a highly-concerning seven matches prior to the November international break, when an own goal from Clement Akpa and a strike from Prosper Peter secured maximum points for fellow top-flight minnows Angers.
Collecting just the single point from their last seven matches, Auxerre have dropped down to rock bottom in the Ligue 1 standings ahead of this weekend’s visit of Europa League-competing Lyon, three points from the safety of Brest in 15th position.
A major Achilles’ heel for Les Diplomates at the beginning of their second straight season in the top flight, Christophe Pelissier‘s troops have netted just seven goals across 12 Ligue 1 contests so far, meaning that they possess the poorest attack in the division by a considerable distance.
Winless across six league outings to date, Auxerre will be delighted that Sunday’s clash takes place at their Stade de I’Abbe Deschamps home, where the team’s most recent victory arrived back on September 21, when left-winger Danny Namaso netted the only goal of the game.
Since the 2-1 victory over Strasbourg on home soil on October 26, Lyon have endured a four-game winless streak across Ligue 1 and Europa League action, with this weekend’s visitors looking to get back on track against a side who have won just two league fixtures so far.
That being said, Les Gones were mightily close to securing a share of the spoils with Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain after goals from Afonso Moreira and Ainsley Maitland-Niles, but an added-time effort from Joao Neves sealed maximum points for Les Parisiens.
On a mission to avoid a fourth straight match without triumph in the top flight, Lyon are currently occupying seventh spot in the Ligue 1 rankings ahead of a trip to the division’s basement dwellers, two points behind Strasbourg in the lowest of the Champions League places.
Paulo Fonseca’s troops have failed to win any of their last four away matches across all competitions (D2 L2), with their most recent success on the road coming at Decathlon Arena at the end of September, when Tyler Morton bagged his first goal in French football.
Terrorising defences in the Czech Republic top flight for the past two years, Pavel Sulc is now the main man in attack for French giants Lyon, with the 24-year-old netting five goals and providing one assist from 11 Ligue 1 appearances so far this campaign.
Auxerre Ligue 1 form:
L D L L L L
Lyon Ligue 1 form:
L L W D D L
Lyon form (all competitions):
W W D D L L
Team News
Auxerre remain without the services of first-choice centre-back Telli Siwe, who has not featured since September owing to an injury.
Moving into midfield, Oussama El Azzouzi is currently in the medical room of Les Diplomates due to an ankle problem sustained in October.
Lyon have one of the biggest injury lists in Ligue 1 at the moment, with stars such as Malick Fofana (ankle) and Sulc (muscle) out of action currently.
Yet to kick a competitive ball this season because of a serious knee injury, Ernest Nuamah is targeting a return to action next month.
The visitors have a host of players suspended for this contest, including former Blackburn Rovers man Morton and World Cup winner Nicolas Tagliafico.
Auxerre possible starting lineup:
Leon; Senaya, Sierralta, Akpa, Oppegard; Owusu, Matondo, Danoi; Casmir, Namaso, Sinayoko
Lyon possible starting lineup:
Greif; Kluivert, Mata, Niakhate, Barisic; Tessman, Karabec; Maitland-Niles, Merah, Moreira; Ghezzal
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We say: Auxerre 1-2 Lyon
With a number of injuries and suspensions likely to impact selection, Lyon could struggle more than anticipated at Ligue 1’s bottom club on Sunday.
Auxerre have done all of their good work at home this season, but we still believe that Les Gones will be too strong on the afternoon.
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