Fifteenth faces 14th as Strasbourg host Brest on Wednesday evening, hoping to bounce back from their Ligue 1 defeat last weekend.

Meanwhile, the visitors have been unable to hold on to a place inside the top 10, as they have lost five of their last six league matches.

Match preview

Strasbourg lost their first game in five after conceding late on at home against Reims, who secured a narrow 1-0 victory on Sunday.

Thierry Laurey's side began 2021 brilliantly, winning and keeping clean sheets in each of their first three matches. However, since then they have picked up just one point from a possible six available against Dijon and Reims, two sides with them in the bottom half of the table.

With Lorient, who sit in 18th place, claiming back-to-back victories, the gap between Strasbourg and the bottom three has been closed to six points with Les Merlus having a game in hand.

Laurey will be hoping that his side can recapture the form that they had at the start of January to help steer them away from a potential relegation battle.

Strasburg were comfortable winners the last time they faced Brest, winning 3-0 away from home in October, and another triumph on Wednesday would see the Racers leapfrog their opponents and could move them as high as 12th in the table.

Brest's form continues to decline after another Ligue 1 defeat last weekend, this time losing 4-2 at home against Metz.

The Pirates took the lead twice in the match, leading 2-1 just two minutes after the break when Irvin Cardona headed into an empty net, however the visitors turned the game on its head with a late penalty from Vagner sealing the win for Metz.

Brest have now lost 12 top-flight matches this campaign and a run of four consecutive defeats has seen them slip from 10th to 14th in Ligue 1.

With eight points separating the Pirates from the top six and the drop zone, their plans for a top-half finish may change into a fight for survival if they fail to turn their fortunes around.

Olivier Dall'Oglio's side have struggled away from home throughout this season, losing more than any other top-flight side on their travels with eight defeats.

Brest have failed to win any of their last five away matches but ending their poor run of form with a victory on Wednesday could move them up to 11th in the table, five points clear of Strasbourg.

Strasbourg Ligue 1 form: LWWWDL

Brest Ligue 1 form: LWLLLL

Team News

Strasbourg will be without defender Mohamed Simakan, who is expected to be out until March with a knee injury.

Goalkeeper Matz Sels (Achilles tendon) and forward Lebo Mothiba (knee) are also injury concerns for the hosts.

Midfielder Jean-Eudes Aholou is back from suspension and is expected to start on Wednesday.

Brest's Italian midfielder Cristian Battocchio is doubtful due to illness, while defender Denys Bain remains out until at least March with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Olivier Dall'Oglio may decide to hand Jeremy Le Douaron a start on the left side of midfield ahead of Romain Faivre.

Strasbourg possible starting lineup:
Kawashima; Lala, Mitrovic, Djiku, Caci; Sissoko, Aholou; Diallo, Thomasson, Chahiri; Ajorque

Brest possible starting lineup:
Larsonneur; Pierre-Gabriel, Chardonnet, Duverne, Perraud; Honorat, Belkebla, Lasne, Le Douaron; Cardona, Mounie

We say: Strasbourg 2-1 Brest

Four of the last five meetings between the two sides have seen the home team come out on top and Strasbourg will fancy their chances of a victory on Wednesday against a Brest side who have conceded 10 goals in their last four matches. The hosts should have enough quality to seal all three points in what is expected to be a tight encounter.