Despite crashing out of the Coupe de France courtesy of an embarrassing 0-2 defeat at the hands of Ligue 2 side Clermont Foot, and ignominiously losing 2-1 to relegation-threatened Lens, AS Saint-Etienne have in recent weeks restored their confidence with back-to-back wins against Toulouse and Montpellier. Currently fourth in the table, only two points behind second-placed Paris Saint-Germain, Saturday’s encounter presents les Verts with an excellent opportunity to firmly entrench themselves in the upper echelons of Ligue 1.
The victory over Montpellier, however, did not feature highly-rated striker Dimitri Payet, who was recently fined and relegated to the reserves for attempting to force through a move during the January transfer window.
Coach Christophe Galtier has nonetheless insisted that Payet remains an integral part of the team, alongside new recruits Alejandro Alonso and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. “I am someone who forgives, so I will ask the club to forgive him”, Galtier told Sky Sports. “Things will return to normal quickly enough. Dimitri will soon be applauded by the fans again.”
He also played down rumours of a rift between himself and Payet: “There is no tense relationship between player and coach. There is just a group that has been playing well without Payet. We will piece things back together slowly. Considering that we have brought in two players and the officials have been able to keep Dimitri, the group is now stronger, both in quality and quantity.”
Saint-Étienne’s home form is particularly impressive, with only one Ligue 1 defeat, against Lorient in November, coming at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard this season.
A Chance For Redemption
Thus far, it has not been a prosperous 2011 for Olympique Lyonnais. Entering the winter break a mere four points behind league leaders Lille, they now lie sixth in the table, seven points adrift of the summit. Although only two points short of the final Champions’ League berth, the nature of Ligue 1 is such that Lyon could find themselves missing out on European football altogether next season should they fail to heed the warning signs.
Last week’s 0-0 draw with Bordeaux was the latest in a succession of uninspiring performances that have included defeats to Valenciennes and Nice, and draws with Olympique de Marseille and AJ Auxerre. In all competitions les Gones have won just four of their previous twelve matches, while in Ligue 1 they have claimed only a single victory in their last five matches.
Unsurprisingly, the players themselves have been less than satisfied with their current form, with both Yoann Gourcuff and Hugo Lloris publicly admitting disappointment. Speaking to Eurosport following the stalemate against Bordeaux, however, the Lyon goalkeeper sought to remain optimistic: “We still had a good game. We put everything into the match, but we came up against a strong team. It was a game of men, with some great duelling.
“It’s a shame we missed the opportunity to make up two points on Lille [who drew 1-1 with Auxerre last weekend], but there are still plenty of games left.”
The season might not yet be over, but recent results have certainly interfered with Lyon’s title aspirations. So tight is le Championnat that anything less than a win against AS Saint-Étienne on Saturday will cause les Gones irretrievable damage, though the Ligue 1 crown may already be beyond their reach. When asked about the upcoming clash, Lloris added: “Regardless of the situation of both clubs, it’s a good game to play. It’s a derby. We don’t think about the points, it’s all about the victory.”
TEAM NEWS
Saint-Etienne
Les Verts have few injury concerns, with only Yoann Andreu and Albin Ebondo sidelined. It is expected that Christophe Galtier will recall Dimitri Payet to the first-team following his spell in the reserves.
Olympique Lyonnais
Likewise, Lyon manager Claude Puel will be relieved to have a relatively abundant squad at his disposal after the selection headaches he has faced earlier in the season. Clement Grenier and Ederson remain unavailable, since although the latter resumed training this week, it is unlikely he will return to first-team action in the immediate future.
Prediction
Little separates these two teams, and if the reverse fixture offers any indication, it will be an incredibly close contest. Although Saint-Étienne prevailed at the Stade Gerland courtesy of a stunning Dimitri Payet free-kick, Lyon’s desire to avenge their recent abject performances should ensure that, on this occasion, they leave the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard with all three points.
Editor's Prediction
AS Saint-Etienne 0-1 O. Lyon 
