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

Strasbourg and Brest will both go in search of their first wins of the season when they meet in Ligue 1 on Sunday.

After three games each, the Coureurs sit bottom of the table on one point, while the Pirates are 13th with two points.

Match preview

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These two teams both narrowly avoided relegation last season, with Strasbourg finishing just two points above the bottom three and Brest only one.

The opening weeks of the new campaign suggest that little has changed in their fortunes, despite both clubs changing managers over the summer.

After Thierry Laurey's five-year stint at Strasbourg came to an end, former Rennes manager Julien Stephan was appointed at the Stade de la Meinau.

The Alsace outfit lost 2-0 to Angers on the opening day before Paris Saint-Germain beat them 4-2. Their first point arrived in a 1-1 draw with newly-promoted Troyes last weekend as Adrien Thomasson netted an equaliser 13 minutes from time.

The Coureurs have only won one of their last 11 home matches, but will hope the visit of another winless side can turn their fortunes around.

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Brest have not won on their last five trips to the Stade de la Meinau, and in this fixture last season, Jeremy Le Douaron scored a 94th-minute equaliser for the Brittany outfit in a 2-2 draw.

The Pirates' poor start to the season can be caveated with the fact that the three sides they have played so far all finished in last season's top six: after 1-1 draws against Lyon and Rennes, they lost 4-2 at home to PSG last weekend.

Armenian Michel Der Zakarian is the new man at the helm, joining from Montpellier as Olivier Dall'Oglio went in the other direction to Occitanie.

Brest picked up just three wins in 19 away matches last season and have kept only two clean sheets in their last 16 games.

Team News

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Strasbourg centre-back Alexander Djiku is available for selection again after being suspended for the game against Troyes last weekend.

The club's defensive ranks have been bolstered this week by the signing of Maxime Le Marchand from Fulham, who could make his debut.

Jean-Eudes Aholou was forced off injured against PSG and did not feature against Troyes, making him a doubt for this match.

Romain Faivre got the assist for both of Brest's goals against PSG last weekend, so he will be the main source of creativity for the visitors.

Michel Der Zakarian is still without Paul Lasne, Christophe Herelle and Sebastien Cibois because of injury.

Strasbourg possible starting lineup:
Sels; Fila, Perrin, Le Marchand, Djiku, Lienard; Thomasson, Prcic, Bellegarde; Ajorque, Gameiro

Brest possible starting lineup:
Bizot; Pierre-Gabriel, Chardonnet, Brassier, Uronen; Belkebla, M'Bock; Honorat, Faivre, Cardona; Mounie

We say: Strasbourg 1-2 Brest

Both of these teams will view this game as a big opportunity to get their first three points on the board, but we think it will be Brest who will emerge victorious. The visitors have been dealt a tough hand with their fixtures so far, but have shown signs that they are capable of improving upon last season.