Montpellier HSC host Lille in Ligue 1 on Sunday.
The visitors can climb above their forthcoming opponents in the table by beating them at Stade de la Mosson.
Match preview
Having finished in the bottom half of Ligue 1 for the first time in five years last season, Montpellier have made an impressive start to the new campaign with three wins and two defeats seeing them head into the weekend in fifth position.
A 2-0 win at home against newly-promoted AC Ajaccio on Wednesday made it two wins in a row after their 7-0 thumping of Brest away from home last weekend, with Olivier Dall'Aglio's side regularly competing in feisty affairs, having received two red cards and seen their opponents shown three in their last three matches.
Indeed, after Arnaud Nordin had opened the scoring after 28 minutes, Romain Hamouma's dismissal nine minutes later made another heavy victory look set to be on the cards. However, Jonas Omlin's straight red card for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity on the stroke of half-time made the second half a more dicey affair than it perhaps should have been, although stand-in goalkeeper Mathis Carvalho was not actually forced into a single save despite the visitors racking up 15 shots across the course of the 90 minutes.
Dall'Aglio will be hoping his side can continue their momentum with a third successive victory against Lille on Sunday, but the 2020-21 champions represent a step up on each of their last three opponents.
Lille, of course, suffered a major comedown last season having won Ligue 1 for the first time in a decade, ultimately finishing in 10th place having been dumped out of the Champions League at the group stage.
With no European distractions this time around, new head coach Paulo Fonseca will be hoping to massively improve on last season's disappointing title defence, although it has been a mixed start to life for the former Roma boss so far with two wins, one draw and two defeats.
Indeed, only Ajaccio have been defeated by Lille in their last four matches, with Fonseca's side suffering defeats at home to Paris Saint-Germain and Nice, as well as earning a 1-1 draw away to Nantes.
Jonathan Bamba had provided his side with an early lead against Nice in midweek, but the visitors quickly fought back through a dispatched penalty apiece by Andy Delort and Nicolas Pepe. Fonseca will be looking for a reaction against Montpellier - another surprise Ligue 1 winner themselves in fairly recent years, of course - on Sunday.
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Team News
Omlin will serve a one-match suspension after being sent off in midweek, meaning Bingourou Kamara could be thrown straight in between the sticks for his debut having only joined from Strasbourg on transfer deadline day.
Teji Savanier is also suspended for one more game after his injury-time dismissal against Auxerre, while Wahbi Khazri, Christopher Julien, Theo Sainte-Luce and Dimitry Bertaud are all sidelined by injury.
Nicolas Cozza will likely shift to left-back in Sainte-Luce's absence, meaning former Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho could start at the heart of the defence.
Lille, meanwhile, have far fewer availability issues, with only Timothy Weah definitely out of action with a foot injury.
Remy Cabella could return to the squad after missing recent matches with a muscle strain, while Andre Gomes should be on the bench having joined on loan from Everton for the season earlier this week.
Mohamed Bayo will be hoping for a start in attack, with Jonathan David potentially shifting to a wider starting berth.
Montpellier HSC possible starting lineup:
Kamara; Sacko, Esteve, Sakho, Cozza; Chotard, Ferri; Nordin, Germain, Maouassa; Wahi
Lille possible starting lineup:
Leonardo; Diakite, Fonte, Djalo, Ismaily; Andre, Gomes; David, Yazici, Bamba; Bayo
We say: Montpellier HSC 1-2 Lille
Lille have performed better on the road so far this season, and we can envisage that continuing on Sunday.
Montpellier have had a kind fixture list in recent weeks, with the visitors clearly possessing greater quality on paper as well as far fewer injury and suspension concerns.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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