Monaco will look to bounce back from their first defeat of the season when they host newly-promoted Angers in Ligue 1 on Friday.
While the hosts suffered derby day defeat last week, Angers recorded their first win of the campaign, pulling them out of the relegation zone.
Match preview
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After starting the season with an 11-game unbeaten run, Monaco will have been devastated at falling to a first defeat in the Derby de la Cote D'Azur last weekend against Nice.
Adi Hutter's men were top of the table heading into the international break, but after conceding top spot by drawing 0-0 at home to Lille, the side from the principality have now slipped three points behind Paris Saint-Germain after last week's result.
A first-half red card to Vanderson was ultimately costly, as Monaco squandered an early lead to lose 2-1 at the Allianz Riviera, with Gaetan Laborde netting the winner.
Being back on home soil should be a blessing though, as they are currently on their longest home unbeaten run (11 games) for almost seven years.
That run extends to 13 matches when all competitions are taken into account, and if Monaco can avoid suffering what would be back-to-back defeats for the first time in over 18 months here by winning, the pressure will shift back onto PSG, who do not play until Saturday against Lens.
The home side will be highly fancied too, considering they have won all of their last seven matches against Angers - their longest ongoing run against any top-flight side - with the four home wins in that spell being accompanied with clean sheets.
Angers will be buoyed by a first win of the campaign last week though, which had implications at the bottom, moving them up two places and out of the relegation zone entirely, despite spending almost all of the season so far at the foot of the Ligue 1 standings.
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Alexandre Dujeux's side came through an intense encounter which saw them pegged back twice by Saint-Etienne, before eventually running out 4-2 winners at the Stade Raymond-Kopa.
Despite being the favourites for the drop, Angers have proven difficult to beat, with their only defeat in the last six games coming against Reims, holding Marseille to a draw in that run.
Angers now face the league's top two in their next two games, though, so their mettle will be severely put to the test, especially given that they are still winless in 19 Ligue 1 away games.
Another winless away trip will see them become the first top-flight side since Lorient between late 2020 and early 2022 to go at least 20 games without victory on the road.
However, Dujeux's men are currently unbeaten in three away from the Raymond-Kopa, drawing each time, and another point here would be celebrated greatly, while also seeing them record their longest unbeaten run on the road for three years.
Team News
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Red cards in back-to-back games means Monaco will be without defensive duo Jordan Teze and Vanderson here, leaving a gaping hole at right-back, so Wilfried Singo may be forced to move over and deputise in a wide area.
Hutter's defensive issues are already depleted by the current absence of Mohammed Salisu, who returned from international duty with Ghana injured, so youngster Christian Mawissa Elebi may be drafted in.
Monaco's other injury worry concerns Folarin Balogun, who will miss the next couple of months after dislocating his shoulder at the start of October.
Angers have been able to welcome Bamba Dieng back into the fold in the last two weeks as a late substitute, and after scoring the clinching goal that put the game beyond St Etienne a week ago, he could be in line to return to the starting XI.
Lilian Raolisoa will serve the final game of his three-match ban for the red card picked up against Marseille, while fellow defenders Cedric Hountondji and Jacques Ekomie are out with thigh injuries.
Monaco possible starting lineup:
Majecki; Singo, Mawissa Elebi, Kehrer, Caio Henrique; Camara, Zakaria; Akliouche, Golovin, Ben Seghir; Embolo
Angers possible starting lineup:
Fofana; Arcus, Biumia, Lefort, Hanin; Aholou, Belkhdim; Niane, Abdelli, El Melali; Dieng
We say: Monaco 3-0 Angers
Monaco's start has still been remarkable despite last week's derby defeat, and they will be big favourites to return to winning ways against one of Ligue 1's relegation candidates.
Despite a fine result last weekend, Angers have not had a test quite as stern as going away to Monaco yet, and could be in for a difficult evening.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Andrew Delaney
