Ligue 1 leaders AS Monaco will aim to extend their lead at the top spot when they face Lorient at the Stade du Moustoir in Sunday's early kickoff.
After clinching a top-half finish last season, Lorient have been wildly inconsistent this term. They started this season with back-to-back draws against reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes and OGC Nice.
They then annihilated Lille with a 4-1 demolition job of the northerners before then suffering their own shock thumping as they were beaten 3-0 by newly-promoted Le Havre last time out.
Monaco, on the other hand, have gone from strength to strength this season under the management of Adi Hütter, and could open a four-point gap at the top of the table with another victory here.
Sitting in cozy comforts at the top-of-the-table, they started the season with an impressive 4-2 victory over Clermont Foot on the opening day. Then they comfortably thrashed Patrick Vieira’s Strasbourg by three goals to nil before playing out a thrilling 3-3 draw away to Nantes.
The visitors dispatched last season’s runners-up Lens by three goals to nil before heading into the international break a couple of weeks ago, and will be looking to pick up where they left off against Les Merlus.
Here GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch, including TV channel, streaming details and more.
Lorient vs Monaco kick-off time
| Date: | September 17, 2023 |
| Kick-off time: | 12 pm BST |
| Venue: | Stade Yves Allainmat |
The Ligue 1 match between Lorient and AS Monaco will be played at Stade Yves Allainmat, also known as the Stade du Moustoir, on Sunday. Kick-off is at 12 pm BST for fans in the UK.
How to watch Lorient vs Monaco online - TV channels & live streams
The fixture will be shown live on TNT Sports 3 in the United Kingdom. Match highlights will be shown on the club's official YouTube channels after the full-time whistle. Live updates can be accessed here on GOAL.
Team news & squads
Lorient team news
Lorient boss Regis Le Bris has a pretty lengthy absentee list to deal with, that includes Bamba Dieng, Igor Silva, Aiyegun Tosin, Quentin Boisgard and Ayman Kari.
Benjamin Mendy is set to be included in the squad, but it's unlikely that the former-Manchester City star will be included from the start here. New signing Isaak Touré could be an option at the back. Fit-again Jean-Victor Makengo will also be vying for a place in midfield.
Lorient possible XI: Mvogo; F. Mendy, Laporte, Talbi; Kalulu, Abergel, Ponceau, Le Goff; Faivre, Pagis; Doucoure
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Mvogo, Youfeigane |
| Defenders: | F. Mendy, Laporte, Talbi, Le Goff, Kalulu, B. Mendy, Le Bris, Yongwa, Sylla, Mouyokolo |
| Midfielders: | Abergel, Ponceau, Makengo, Kroupi |
| Forwards: | Doucoure, Pagis, Faivre, Mvuka, Tosin |
Monaco team news
Like their counterparts, Monaco also have numerous injury absentees, with Ruben Aguilar, Maghnes Akliouche, Eliesse Ben Seghir, Edan Diop and Breel Embolo all expected to miss Sunday's showdown.
However, courtesy of their impressive business over the summer transfer window, Hutter now has a wider range of options in each department. One of the summer recruits, former Southampton defender Mohammed Salisu may have to wait for his Monaco debut as he continues his recovery process from an injury picked up at his previous club.
Hutter has embarrassment of riches in the attacking area, having added Arsenal academy graduate Folarin Balogun, who scored 21 Ligue 1 goals for Reims last term, to an already potent attack.
The USMNT international hasn't got much of look-in the starting XI so far due to the stellar form of front three, consisting Wissam Ben-Yedder, Takumi Minamino and Aleksandr Golovin, who will continue to spearhead the attack for Les Monegasques on Sunday as well. Paraphrase.
Monaco possible XI: Kohn; Singo, Maripan, Magassa; Vanderson, Fofana, Camara, Henrique; Minamino, Golovin; Ben-Yedder
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Kohn, Majecki |
| Defenders: | Singo, Maripan, Magassa, Vanderson, Jakobs, Matsima |
| Midfielders: | Fofana, Camara, Henrique, Matazo, Zakaria, Akliouche |
| Forwards: | Minamino, Golovin, Ben-Yedder, Balogun, Boadu, Diatta |
Head-to-Head Record
| Date | Match | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 16/4/23 | AS Monaco 3-1 Lorient | Ligue 1 |
| 11/1/23 | Lorient 2-2 AS Monaco | Ligue 1 |
| 13/2/22 | AS Monaco 0-0 Lorient | Ligue 1 |
| 14/8/21 | Lorient 1-0 AS Monaco | Ligue 1 |
| 14/2/21 | AS Monaco 2-2 Lorient | Ligue 1 |