Le Havre vs Angers Preview: Team News & Prediction
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This is a battle between two sides that are struggling down at the bottom end of the Ligue 1 table with Le Havre beginning the weekend just outside of the bottom three and Angers firmly in the bottom two and automatic relegation places.
Kick-off date/time: Sunday 1st December, 2024: UK – 4:00pm / US ET – 11:00am / US PT – 8:00am
How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / US – beIN Sports
How to watch online: UK – Ligue 1 pass / US – beIN Sports
Le Havre Preview: Improved Le Havre
At the end of last season, after somehow keeping Le Havre in the top-flight without needing a playoff, Slovenian coach Luka Elsner departed for Stade de Reims and was replaced by former Middlesbrough boss Didier Digard. Performances have been relatively impressive at the start of this season but have since underperformed to sink down the table.
The home team have managed just two wins in their last three matches, though, either side of the November international break. Their most recent outing saw them defeat Nantes by two goals to nil at Stade de la Beaujoire thanks to a strike from Josue Casimir and an own goal from Fabien Centonze.
Angers Preview: Angered Angers
Angers started this season really poorly after gaining promotion to the top-flight under the tutelage of Alexandre Dujeux. They didn’t win until October but then massively underperformed. However, they have, as mentioned, sunk back into the bottom two ahead of this weekend’s round of fixtures.
Angers come into this one on the back of a slender 1-0 loss to fellow newly-promoted side Auxerre with a winner from AFC Bournemouth loanee Hamed Junior Traore in second-half stoppage-time. That defeat for Angers means made it back-to-back losses either side of the international break after previously enjoying a four-match unbeaten run of form.
Le Havre Team News: Several injuries
There are no fresh injury issues for Le Havre to concern themselves with so they can name an unchanged eleven but they are dealing with a few injuries across the park.
Key man Oussama Targhalline remains sidelined for the hosts alongside the likes of Yann Kitala, Oualid El Hajjam, Arouna Sangante and Andy Logbo.
Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Desmas; Pembele, Kinkoue, Lloris; Casiimir, Kuzyayev, Kechta, Operi; Sabbi, Soumare; Ayew
Unavailable: Logbo (Injured), Kitala (Injured), El Hajjam (Injured), Sangante (Injured), Targhalline (Injured)
Questionable:
Angers Team News: A few concerns
Angers have been dealing with a few injury concerns throughout this season and there remain a few as they make the trip across to Stade Oceane this weekend.
As well as Zinedine Ferhat being out, both Sidiki Cherif and Cedric Hountondji remain absentees for the visitors due to both having thigh injuries.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Fofana; Arcus, Bamba, Lefort, Hanin; Belkelba, Aholou; Allevinah, Abdelli, El Melali; Niane
Unavailable: Ferhat (Injured), Hountondji (Injured), Cherif (Injured)
Questionable:
Le Havre vs Angers Prediction
Didier Digard’s style of football is supposed to be quite fluent and free flowing but their couple of wins in the last few weeks of the season has seen them become a lot more solid and defensive. Angers, on the other hand, even when gaining promotion last season, have been about safety first and they have scored just 13 goals in their 12 games so far this season so a low-scoring encounter with fewer than three or four goals is to be expected at Stade Oceane.
Le Havre vs Angers Tip: Under 2.5 goals
