Preview: Clermont vs. Brest - prediction, team news, lineups

Clermont will welcome Brest on Sunday and the hosts will look to continue their impressive start to the Ligue 1 campaign that has resulted in them sitting in sixth place after five games.

The visitors, meanwhile, will attempt to win their first league of the season this Sunday, having only collected three points so far this term.

Match preview

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Clermont have adapted well to life in the top flight after earning promotion from Ligue 2, and they have carried over last season's form into the new campaign.

The season saw the Ligue 1 newcomers get off to a flying start, courtesy of two wins against Bordeaux and Troyes, which both ended in 2-0 victories.

Two draws followed, and last weekend they suffered their first defeat of the season, losing 4-0 away to Paris Saint Germain, although there is little embarrassment in losing to a PSG side filled with superstars.

This Sunday's hosts will aim to get the season back on track against Brest, and they are in incredible form at Stade Gabriel-Montpied, having only lost one of their 21 home league games since the start of last season.

Encouragingly, they have only lost once to Brest in their last six home games against Sunday's opponents, albeit all those fixtures were played in Ligue 2.

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Brest's start to the campaign has been far from ideal, having only collected three points from their first five outings and they are still searching for their first win of the season.

In fact, Brest are currently enduring a worrying nine-game winless run in Ligue 1 and will be desperate to end that this Sunday.

They can take confidence from a 1-1 draw last weekend against high-flyers Angers and will aim to build upon that result this Sunday, although they have lost their last five encounters against newly-promoted sides.

Their recent head-to-head record is cause for optimism though, as they have not lost to Clermont in their last five meetings, however, the last two games between the teams has ended all square.

Forward Irvin Cardona is Brest's top scorer this season with two goals to his name and the 24-year-old may have to contribute again if the away side are to get anything out of this game.

Team News

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Clermont will likely be without Mohamed Bayo, who missed the PSG game with an injury and the forward is a doubt for Sunday.

If Bayo does miss out, then Pierre-Yves Hamel will likely continue to lead the line for the home side.

Pascal Gastien could name an unchanged starting lineup to face Brest.

The visitors will be without Christophe Herelle and Sebastien Cibois, who are both injured.

Michel Der Zakarian is also not expecting Steve Mounie to return for the clash, and Paul Lasne is a long-term absentee for the visitors.

Jean-Kevin Duverne will continue at left-back after he took the place of Jere Uronen, who sustained an injury while on international duty with Finland.

Clermont possible starting lineup:
Desmas; Zedadka, Hountondji, Ogier, N'Simba; Abdul Samed, Gastien, Berthomier; Dossou, Allevinah, Hamel

Brest possible starting lineup:
Bizot; Pierre-Gabriel, Chardonnet, Brassier, Duverne; Agoume, M'Bock, Faivre; Honorat, Del Castillo, Cardona

We say: Clermont 1-1 Brest

Clermont are impressive at home, but they may be content with a point here after last week's loss, and Brest have done well against Clermont in recent encounters, so a draw here may be the most likely outcome, especially considering the last two fixtures between the sides have ended all square.