"Back in August, Strasbourg won away from home, but it is a different team now, with former Wolves boss Gary O'Neil replacing Liam Rosenior on the bench (after he left for Chelsea) and still no star striker Emmanuel Emegha up front because of injury. And we are more likely to see a back four for Strasbourg instead of Rosenior's back three."
"It is a new era starting, but there will still be some toxicity and I expect a lot of protests against the BlueCo ownership, who continue to strengthen Chelsea by weakening the French club. Strasbourg are seventh in the table, six points off fifth and eight points behind the UEFA Champions League positions. They have to win this game before some tough fixtures arrive with a trip to Lille, then Paris Saint-Germain, AS Monaco (in the Coupe de France), and Marseille."
"But Metz are the ones who really need the points right now. They are bottom of the table with only three wins in 17 league games so far. It is not all bad as it is quite tight at the bottom of the table, with only six points between 18th and 13th, but a win would go a long way in terms confidence for Stephane Le Mignan -- a manager very much under pressure."
The East of France derby sees Metz host Strasbourg on Sunday, with a hostile crowd expected. Strasbourg won at Metz in August, but Gary O'Neil has replaced Liam Rosenior and Emmanuel Emegha remains injured, prompting a likely shift from a back three to a back four. Strasbourg sit seventh, six points off fifth and eight points outside Champions League positions, with challenging fixtures approaching. Metz are bottom with three wins in 17 matches and desperately need points; the relegation zone is tight with six points separating 18th and 13th. A win would boost confidence for Metz manager Stephane Le Mignan. Prediction: Strasbourg 3-1 Metz.
Read at ESPN.com
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