Preview: Angers vs. Reims - prediction, team news, lineups

Angers will welcome Reims to the Stade Jean-Bouin on Sunday as the hosts look to break a six-game losing run in the French top flight.

A poor run of form has seen Gerald Baticle's side fall to 14th spot in the Ligue 1 table, just five points above the bottom three, while their visitors now sit a place above and three points better off.

Match preview

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After a relatively commendable start to the Ligue 1 season, Angers looked all but safe from the threat of relegation at the halfway stage, but they have quickly been dragged into the mix.

Gerald Baticle's side have now lost eight of their last 10 matches in the top flight, including six straight defeats heading into Sunday's meeting.

Following consecutive losses to Saint-Etienne, Marseille, Strasbourg, Nice and Lens, Les Noirs et Blancs took on Rennes last time out with the aim of stopping the rot, but they were comfortably defeated 2-0 as Benjamin Bourigeaud and Gaetan Laborde got on the scoresheet.

As a result of their dismal run of form, Baticle's men have dropped into 14th spot, and, with just a five-point lead over the bottom three, they will know they need to quickly correct their form to avoid being dragged in.

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They meet a Reims side who have gone in the opposite direction recently, with the visitors having now leapfrogged Sunday's opponents.

Oscar Garcia's side have seen their form drastically improve since late last year, having earned five wins and 19 points from their last 13 games since late November.

Les Rouges et Blancs managed to break a brief winless run with a 5-0 thrashing of Bordeaux in February, as Marshall Munetsi hit a brace alongside goals from Hugo Ekitike, Azor Matusiwa and Wout Faes, before they added another notch to their wins tally against the odds recently.

In a trip to high-flying Monaco, Garcia's men trailed 1-0 with 10 minutes to go, but a Kevin Volland own goal levelled the scoring before Nathanael Mbuku snatched all three points with a 93rd-minute winner.

Now on the back of a 1-1 draw with Strasbourg, as Jens Cajuste salvaged a point late on, Reims sit 13th in the division with an eight-point lead over the bottom three, and they will look to continue their climb with another victory on Sunday.

Team News

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Angers remain without winger Jimmy Cabot and midfielder Mathias Pereira Lage, as the duo continue to battle through injuries.

However, they will welcome attacker Mohamed-Ali Cho back to contention, after he served a suspension last time out.

Sofiane Boufal is another key man in attack, with the Moroccan having contributed five goals and five assists in Ligue 1 this season.

Reims also have several injuries to deal with, as key striker Hugo Ekitike was recently sidelined alongside the likes of Thomas Foket, Valon Berisha and Andrew Gravillon.

Young midfielder Jens Cajuste will hope to earn a starting berth after he netted the equalising goal off the bench last time out.

Angers possible starting lineup:
Petkovic; Mendy, Traore, Ebosse; Mangani; Ounahi, Fulgini, Bentaleb, Doumbia; Boufal, Cho

Reims possible starting lineup:
Rajkovic; Munetsi, Faes, Abdelhamid; Busi, Matusiwa, Cajuste, Konan; Kebbal, Hornby, Mbuku

We say: Angers 0-2 Reims

The contrasting recent form of the two sides points to a Reims victory at the weekend, and we do not see the hosts springing any surprises.

Garcia's men have looked a new side recently, and they should have what it takes to get past an Angers team devoid of any confidence.

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