In a crucial match in Ligue 1, relegation-threatened Saint-Etienne will host Angers at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard on Saturday night.
Les Verts are in serious danger of dropping back to Ligue 2, beginning another weekend in the relegation spots, while Angers appear secure in mid-table on their return to the top level.
Last weekend's crushing 5-1 loss to Marseille, their third consecutive loss and their third time giving up 11 goals, increased Saint-Etienne's worries of relegation.
Eirik Horneland, the new manager, initially appeared to be getting a good performance out of the team, but in their past six games, they have only won two of the 18 points that are attainable.
Although Les Verts have not yet fallen into the automatic relegation zone, Horneland's team is three points outside of safety, and Le Havre and Montpellier are both within touching distance due to their appalling goal differential (minus-30, the club's worst goal differential at this time in a top-flight season).
Even though the last three games have all been extremely difficult, this matchup and the next three should give a lot better idea of ASSE's present situation.
After that four-game run, if Saint-Etienne is still in serious difficulty, the writing may be on the wall. Their home games against Angers and Nice are followed by away games against the current bottom two.
Saint-Etienne has only once before conceded as many as their current total of 50 goals at this stage of a Ligue 1 season, with the last instance dating back to the 1940s—a season in which they still managed to avoid relegation.
The home side boasts an impressive record against Angers at the Guichard, remaining unbeaten in their last 17 encounters—marking their longest undefeated streak against any current top-flight team.
Their overall record against Angers is equally strong, suffering just two defeats in 28 meetings. However, one of those losses came in the reverse fixture last October, when Angers secured a 4-2 victory—netting twice as many goals in that match as they had in their previous six meetings combined.
That was one of the five meetings so far this season in Ligue 1 against two newly-promoted clubs, and the home side on the day often comes out on top, with four ending in victory for the hosts, including ASSE's home clash with Auxerre, which they won 3-1.
Angers have already surpassed the tally of points they managed when they were relegated in 2022-23, and now have the chance this weekend to win back-to-back league games without conceding for the first time in almost four years.
That comes after a 1-0 win over Reims last weekend, but form has been slightly topsy-turvy for Alexandre Dujeux's men in 2025. After winning their first three matches and reaching the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France, they could not beat Le Havre at home and lost against both Lens and Marseille.
The results they have picked up have been enough to move them eight points clear of trouble, despite being one of the favorites to be relegated at the start of the campaign. That gap will stretch to 11 points if they win here.
Dujeux must therefore ensure his players do not have one eye on their cup quarter-final against Reims, which is on the horizon in midweek and will excite the supporters, given how wide open the competition has become following the elimination of many French giants.
