Laval left-back Kevin Perrot is doubtful but he’s one of their poorer players so won’t be missed. Otherwise the hosts are at full strength. There is competition in attack as teenage striker Serhou Guirassy started last weekend and scored the winner at Le Havre (1-0). Cameroon striker Christian Bekamenga therefore faces a real battle to win back his place.
Saliou Ciss was missing last weekend and remains doubtful so ex-St Etienne left-back Loic Nery remains on standby to keep his place. Otherwise the visitors are at full strength and should line-up in their usual 4-4-2 formation.
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Laval
Suspended: None
Doubtful: Kevin Perrot (ankle), Sebastien Renouard (Achilles)
Injured/unavailable: None
Valenciennes
Suspended: None
Doubtful: Saliou Ciss (ankle), Abdoul Aziz Kabore (knee)
Injured/unavailable: Marco Da Silva (knee)
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MATCH PREVIEW
Here’s a phrase that earlier this season we thought we’ve never say: ‘Valenciennes are one of the division’s form team.’ Yes, it’s true – Bernard Casoni’s Valenciennes side climbed into the top 10 thanks to their 1-0 win over Chateauroux last weekend, their fourth victory in five games since the start of November.
Local paper La Voix du Nord has absolutely no doubt what Valenciennes’ unexpected improvement is down to. “Relaunched by their defence,” ran the paper’s headline after Valenciennes’ win last weekend. And they have a point – Valenciennes have kept clean sheets in three of their last five league games, with the change from a back five to a back four two months ago clearly paying off.
Laval recorded a 1-0 win at Le Havre last weekend but owed that victory as much to the fact that Le Havre didn’t turn up on the day as they did to their own performance. The hosts are a tough side that are difficult to break down but Valenciennes are just are hardy these days so will be confident of getting a point. And I think they’ll get a point, because they’re playing well at the moment, confidence has grown thanks to their recent run of results and they are good at soaking up pressure.
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