In a fixture with permutations at both ends of the Ligue 1 standings, relegation-threatened Le Havre welcome top-four-chasing Monaco to Stade Oceane on Saturday evening.
It has been a disappointing couple of weeks for the hosts, who have slipped below the dotted line, while Monaco saw their push for Champions League qualification stutter slightly last week.
Match preview
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Morale was at rock bottom in the Le Havre camp following a humbling 5-1 defeat at home to Rennes two weeks ago, with a trip to Paris Saint-Germain to follow that up looking like a daunting prospect.
However, Didier Digard's side put in a spirited performance and only lost 2-1 against the recently-crowned champions in the capital, but that has done their hopes of survival no good.
Saint-Etienne earned a crucial three points to close the gap entirely behind Le Havre, with only goal difference keeping Digard's men out of the automatic relegation places.
Angers are still only three points ahead in 15th, though, and crowd trouble during ASSE's win last weekend could see Les Verts deducted points, easing pressure ever so slightly, but the Le Havre faithful will want to avoid the relegation playoff altogether.
Catching Angers could prove challenging, though, as a minus-31 goal difference is doing them no favours, especially considering Angers' is 12 goals better.
It is no surprise to see that the Sky-and-Navy have conceded the most goals of any Ligue 1 club in 2025, letting in 35, with most of them coming against top-half clubs, against whom they have a woeful record against this season.
The defeat at PSG last weekend means Le Havre have now lost 13 of the 15 matches they have played against clubs currently in the top half, and three of their final four games are against teams currently in the top seven, with Marseille and Strasbourg to come after this clash with Monaco.
Recent history goes against the hosts again here, because they have not beaten Monaco since returning to the top flight last season, drawing both encounters in the 2023-24 campaign, and falling to a 3-1 defeat back in September.
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Monaco will be up for this one too, as they are embroiled in a tense battle near the top with Marseille and a host of other clubs for the remaining Champions League places.
A great win over Marseille moved Adi Hutter's men into second just a week after surrendering that position to Roberto De Zerbi, but their places switched again last time out, with Monaco only drawing at home to Strasbourg, while OM thrashed Montpellier.
Despite some great home form that has seen Monaco win eight of their last 10 Ligue 1 games at the Stade Louis II, scoring 29 goals in the process, poor results on the road is what has stopped them moving clear inside the top four.
Monaco have taken just 18 points from a possible 42 away from home this season, ranking them eighth in Ligue 1, with just one win to their name on their travels in 2025.
Team News
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Le Havre's Yanis Zouaoui and Arouna Sangante will both serve suspensions for this encounter, but the two were set to miss out anyway after sustaining calf and groin injuries, respectively, in the last week.
The hosts will also be without long-term absentees Andy Logbo (shoulder) and Yann Kitala (ankle), but the two could return before the season is out.
Monaco have just two injury concerns, and both are edging nearer to returning, with Kassoum Ouattara and Jordan Teze stepping up efforts to make comebacks before the end of the campaign.
Hutter raised a few eyebrows last weekend by dropping captain Thilo Kehrer to the bench, while January signing Al Musrati was left out of the squad entirely for the draw with Strasbourg.
Strike partners Mika Biereth and Breel Embolo both struggled to perform in that goalless draw last weekend, but excellent recent form means the two are set to start in attack once more.
Le Havre possible starting lineup:
Gorgelin; Nego, Kinkoue, Lloris, Ballo-Toure; Toure, Diawara, Mwanga; Casimir, Koka, Soumare
Monaco possible starting lineup:
Kohn; Vanderson, Singo, Kehrer, Henrique; Akliouche, Zakaria, Camara, Minamino; Biereth, Embolo
We say: Le Havre 1-3 Monaco
Le Havre's last 11 matches have produced a whopping 45 goals, with both teams scoring in 10 of them, but there is no doubt that Monaco are clear in terms of quality, and the visitors should have enough to take one step closer to Champions League qualification.
Monaco's defence is among the strongest in the division too, conceding just four goals in their last seven league matches, and that could prove pivotal in a potentially tricky trip for a side who do not often win away facing a team fighting for their lives.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Andrew Delaney
