Le Havre vs Metz - prediction, team news, lineups

Anything different than triumph this play could corroborate Metz’s relegation arsenic they question north-west to look a Le Havre broadside looking to make further breathing abstraction from the drop.

With 4 games near to play, the Lorraine visitors beryllium bottommost of the Ligue 1 table, 10 points adrift of the playoff spot — their highest imaginable decorativeness — portion the Normandy hosts are 14th and 5 points wide of 16th.

Match preview

Le Havre person finished conscionable supra the playoff spot successful back-to-back seasons since their instrumentality to the French apical formation successful 2023-24 and find themselves successful a acquainted late-season endurance battle, acknowledgment successful nary tiny portion to their existent drought.

Winless successful each of their past 8 outings (D4, L4), lone Sunday’s visitors are connected a longer specified tally (18), though Didier Digard’s men person shown resilience of late, having avoided decision successful each of their past 3 matches.

As successful their games against Auxerre and Nice, Le Club Doyen recorded a 3rd consecutive 1-1 gully successful past weekend’s travel to Angers, wherever Sofiane Boufal’s aboriginal onslaught was cancelled retired by Prosper Peter successful the 28th minute, earlier Le Havre held connected for a constituent pursuing Arouna Sangante’s dismissal.

Digard’s broadside person present some recovered the nett and conceded successful each of their past 4 matches, but determination remains an imbalance astatine either end, reflected by 38 goals allowed compared to conscionable 25 scored — the joint-fewest tally successful the division.

That said, a instrumentality to Stade Oceane should supply a assistance for Le Havre, whose lone league decision successful 8 location matches since precocious November came against leaders Paris Saint-Germain, winning 3 successful that run.

Meanwhile, Metz suffered their 21st decision of the Ligue 1 run successful a 3-1 nonaccomplishment to Paris FC past weekend, erstwhile Giorgi Kvilitaia’s 31st-minute equaliser proved insufficient arsenic Benoit Tavenot’s men conceded doubly aft the interval, with the effect further exposing their antiaircraft frailties.

The Maroons person present shipped a league-high 66 goals — 10 much than immoderate different broadside — portion conceding 3 oregon much successful 7 of their past 12 matches, including a 3-1 reverse astatine Europe-chasing Marseille anterior to their astir caller outing.

Interestingly, Metz person lone taken points successful their past 12 games erstwhile keeping cleanable sheets — signaling goalless draws against Lille, Rennes and Nantes — truthful immoderate affirmative effect this play is apt to hinge connected antiaircraft discipline, though betterment successful the last 3rd is besides required.

Currently successful a precarious position, the Maroons could beryllium relegated earlier kick-off if results elsewhere spell against them, but if not, decision present would corroborate their driblet to Ligue 2, continuing Les Grenats’ signifier of alternating betwixt the apical 2 tiers successful caller seasons.

A instrumentality to the roadworthy offers small encouragement either, fixed Metz person mislaid 13 of their 15 distant league matches this play (W1, D2), the worst specified grounds successful the division, though triumph connected their astir caller sojourn to Le Havre – portion of a four-game unbeaten tally successful this fixture – offers a slender root of optimism.
 

Le Havre Ligue 1 form:

Metz Ligue 1 form:

Team News

Le Havre volition stay without skipper Abdoulaye Toure, who continues his betterment from genu surgery, portion Felix Mambimbi is besides sidelined with a akin contented and is acceptable to miss a 4th consecutive match.

Meanwhile, 24-year-old defender Sangante has been handed a two-match suspension pursuing his reddish paper past clip out, truthful Timothee Pembele could deputise successful the backmost three, though Stephan Zagadou is different option.

Boufal returned to the starting lineup past play aft featuring arsenic a substitute successful the erstwhile lucifer and is apt to clasp his spot present pursuing his interaction against Angers, perchance supporting the beforehand pairing of Issa Soumare and Mbwana Ally Samatta.

Metz volition stay without midfielder Boubacar Traore and full-back Maxime Colin, some sidelined with calf issues, portion Joseph Mangondo and Believe Munongo proceed to retrieve from genu injuries.

Giorgi Abuashvili could miss a 2nd consecutive lucifer owed to a musculus problem, and Habib Diallo is besides a large uncertainty aft being forced disconnected successful the archetypal fractional of past week’s decision to Paris.
 

Le Havre imaginable starting lineup:

Diaw; Pembele, Seko, Lloris; Doucoure, Gourna-Douath, Boufal, Ndiaye, Zouaoui; Samatta, Soumare

Metz imaginable starting lineup:

Sy; Kouao, Sane, Yegbe, Mboula; Deminguet, Gbamin; Mbala, Hein, Tsitaishvili; Kvilitaia

We say: Le Havre 2-1 Metz

The effect betwixt Lyon and Angers a time earlier could person immoderate bearing connected this encounter, perchance confirming Metz’s relegation oregon handing them renewed anticipation successful their endurance bid.

However, irrespective of that outcome, this fixture successful isolation inactive leans successful favour of Le Havre, whose coagulated location signifier and instrumentality to acquainted surroundings should supply capable of an edge.
 
 

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.