Toulouse, looking to widen their lead over the drop zone, are set to take on relegation-threatened Saint-Etienne at the Stadium de Toulouse on Friday evening for matchday 15 of the 2024-25 Ligue 1 season.
The hosts are 10th in the table with 18 points from 14 outings, while the visitors are in 16th with 13 points after their opening 14 fixtures.
Match preview
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After earning promotion back to the top flight with a Ligue 2 title-winning campaign in 2021-22, Toulouse have since gone on to finish 13th and 11th in their two years back in Ligue 1, including lifting the Coupe de France for the first time in their history in 2022-23.
Heading into this season, Carles Martinez, in charge since July 2023, would have been aiming to once again lead Toulouse further up the table and away from the drop zone, and they have had a fair start in pursuing that goal.
Martinez's side endured a tough start to the season, managing just one win in their first eight Ligue 1 matches, with five losses and three draws, but they have shown significant improvement in the games since.
Toulouse have since secured four wins and suffered just two losses in their last six outings, a run of results that have helped them climb from 15th on matchday eight to 10th heading into matchday 15.
Now holding a healthy five-point lead over the relegation zone, and trailing sixth-placed Nice by just five points, Martinez will be hoping his side can continue their positive recent form and secure three points here as they aim to climb further up the table.
As for Saint-Etienne, following their relegation from Ligue 1 in 2021-22, which ended an 18-year stint in the top flight, their struggles continued with an eighth-placed finish in Ligue 2 in 2022-23, only salvaged by a second-half resurgence after sitting 18th at the season's midpoint.
The Greens were significantly improved in 2023-24, finishing third in the table and subsequently beating Rodez AF and FC Metz in the playoffs as they secured their promotion back to Ligue 1.
With ambitions of merely extending their stay in the top flight this campaign, Saint-Etienne have endured an extremely challenging campaign to date, sitting 16th in the table with 13 points after 14 fixtures, from four wins, one draw and nine losses.
Olivier Dall'Oglio's men have also scored just 11 goals, the joint fewest in the league, and conceded a massive 32 times, second most behind Montpellier's total of 36.
With all four of their wins coming at home, placing them 10th in the home form table, Dall'Oglio will be eager for his side to secure their first away win of the season here as he looks to lift them out of the relegation zone.
Saint-Etienne will draw confidence from their past encounters with Toulouse, with the Greens having avoided defeat in all of the last eight meetings, winning four and drawing four.
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Team News
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Toulouse are set to remain without the services of Rasmus Nicolaisen, who has been out of action since October due to an ankle injury and is not scheduled to return until later this month.
Despite suffering a 2-0 defeat to Monaco in their last outing, Martinez could opt to field a similar side to the one that has secured four victories in their last six league matches.
Joshua King and Zakaria Aboukhlal are Toulouse's top scorers with four goals each in Ligue 1, and both are likely to start alongside Yann Gboho in attack here.
Saint-Etienne are anticipated to be without up to nine players for this fixture, including Aimen Moueffek, Anthony Briancon, Augustine Boakye, Benjamin Old, Ibrahima Wadji, Mickael Nade, Thomas Monconduit and Yvann Macon due to injury.
Mathieu Cafaro is the final absentee for the Greens due to suspension after the winger received a red card in the 37th minute of their 5-0 loss to Rennes late last month.
Zuriko Davitashvili has scored five of Saint-Etienne's 11 Ligue 1 goals this season, and the forward will be looked to once again to make the difference in this one.
Toulouse possible starting lineup:
Restes; Sidibe, Cresswell, McKenzie; Donnum, Casseres Jr, Sierro, Suazo; Aboukhlal, Gboho; King
Saint-Etienne possible starting lineup:
Larsonneur; Appiah, Batubinsika, Abdelhamid, Petrot, Cornud; Bouchouari, Ekwah, Mouton, Davitashvili; Sissoko
We say: Toulouse 2-0 Saint-Etienne
The hosts have enjoyed a significantly improved run of form in recent weeks, securing four wins in their last six matches, and with the visitors struggling both defensively and offensively, we believe Toulouse will extend their streak with a comfortable victory here.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ellis Stevens