After heavy speculations over the future of Claude Puel at the camp, Saint Etienne set to turn their focus this week when they take on Angers in Ligue 1. The match is scheduled for Friday at the Stade Geoffroy Guichard, with a kickoff at 10 pm.
Angers’ efforts to Paris Saint-Germain were in vain in a 2-1 loss, while Les Verts suffered a humiliating 5-1 loss to Strasbourg last time around.
Many expected the humiliation suffered last weekend in Strasbourg to be the final nail in the coffin for Puel. Reports being published earlier this week speculated that his impending layoff was imminent, but his position in the dugout is currently being maintained at the dugout.
Moreover, an injury to the goalkeeper Etienne Green and a red card to Zaydou Youssouf – a few minutes after his own goal – everyone contributed to a Saint-Etienne in the first half implosion against Strasbourg.
On the other hand, the Paris Saint-Germain outfit may not have had its South American superstar contingent in the game against Angers on Friday, but that didn’t stop them from going into halftime, thanks to Angelo Fulgini‘s opener.
However, Danilo Pereira‘s header and Kylian Mbappe‘s controversial penalty – only awarded after a VAR review – ultimately sunk an inspired Scistes outfit in the capital. However, Baticle still has every reason to be optimistic after an impressive campaign by his side.
Saint Etienne vs. Angers Head to Head
Both games have 11 games against each other with hosts taking six wins while opponents with one win. Here is a look at their previous encounters:
Home
- Strasbourg 5-1 Saint Etienne
- Saint Etienne 1-1 Lyon
- Saint Etienne 0-3 Nice
- Monaco 3-1 Saint Etienne
- Saint Etienne 1-2 Bordeaux
Away
- PSG 2-1 Angers
- Angers 3-2 Metz
- Troyes 1-1 Angers
- Angers 0-0 Marseille
- Angers 1-4 FC Nantes
Saint Etienne Team News
In the fight against Saint-Etienne’s, teenage starlet Lucas Gourna-Douath may play his first 11-minute match after the suspension of Youssouf. Green was eliminated after a blow to the head. Nineteen-year-old Stefan Bajic will start as the last line of defense, but full-back Alpha Sissoko, Gabriel Silva, and Yvann Macon are all injured.
Angers Team News
As for injuries, Abdoulaye Bamba (knee) and Zinedine Ould Khaled (thighs) are Bailey’s only two failures at the moment, with the guests not worrying about further injury concerns in the PSG.
Prediction and Odds
If Angers is as steadfast as they were at home, they should have no problem chasing the European field by finishing in the top half of the league.
- Angers Win
- Goals Under 2.5
- No Score: Home
