Tonight the Groupama Stadium will see Olympique Lyonnais take on Saint-Etienne in this eagerly awaited derby as Lyon look to continue their hot vein of form.
Saint-Etienne, on the other hand, will be looking to overcome their foes after five successive defeats, with the pressure increasing on Claude Puel as he desperately seeks a victory.
Moussa Dembele was the difference when these teams last met back in March. The Frenchman bagged a brace in a 2-0 Lyon home win.
Stanley Challenor will be taking you through the action as it takes place.
But Saint-Etienne will have some confidence as they did share the spoils last season winning their home fixture 1-0.
Both teams look to line-up in a 4-3-3 system with either not afraid to play an expansive brand of football. Although at times this season, Puel has suffered from criticism much like what he received when coaching in England; his teams can be very stagnant on the ball and lack creativity with no real tempo to their play.
It will be interesting to see how Houssem Aouar reacts to being left out of the French side for their upcoming World Cup Qualifiers. You would expect to see him play with a chip on his shoulder and demonstrate to Didier Deschamps what he is missing out on.
Le Derby is very close upon us, it is such a shame it will have to take place without the electric Lyon crowd.
Both sides will display a minute of silence to remember those who fought and died to give us the freedom we have today.
1′ We’re off here in Le Derby! Saint-Etienne gets us underway going from right to left on your screens.
2′ Early chance for Zoumana Camara as a free-kick on the right-hand side sees the ball is whipped in from the right by Adil Aouchiche the ball bounces just in front of Camara who can only head the ball down and straight at Anthony Lopes who parries the ball away. An excellent start by Puels men.
6′ Finally the first real attacking intent shown by Lyon, as Saint-Etienne have dominated proceedings up until now. Memphis Depay picks the ball up centrally around 30 yards out, he tries his luck, but drags his shot well wide and doesn’t trouble the keeper.
Embed from Getty Images9′ Leo Dubois has been really bright down this right-hand side for Lyon he once again beats his opposing full-back puts a dangerous looking ball across the Saint-Etienne box but Jessy Moulin gathers the ball convincingly.
11′ Dembele thought he had opened the scoring but after being played through by Aouar he slots the ball home at the near post but the flag is then raised and the goal is stricken off.
13′ Chance again for Saint-Etienne, its very end to end at the moment Denis Bouanga carries the ball forward into the left-hand side of the box and his deflected shot forces a good save from the foot of Lopes and Jason Denayer clears.
16′ Dubois once more goes on one of his inverted mazing runs coming on the inside of his defenders and wins a free-kick. Is this Depay range?
17′ Depay seems to get caught in two minds and its neither a shot or cross and goes out for a goal kick.
19′ The game is starting to settle down now as Lyon take control of the tempo of this game and are starting to dominate possession.
Embed from Getty Images25′ Lyon have taken a stranglehold of the game forcing Saint-Etienne to sit deep into their own half.
27′ Saint-Etienne playing themselves into trouble the ball is given away cheaply to Aouar who slides the ball into Dembele who cutely flicks it off to Bruno Guimaraes who can’t find Depay and the ball goes out for a corner which comes to nothing.
30′ Sparks starting fly here as Lyon win another free-kick in Depay range.
31′ Dembele can’t believe his luck as he calmly heads home from the free-kick. But his elation is short-lived as the flag is raised again.
32′ At a closer look it seems like his arm was offside. Another controversial VAR decision there.
36′ Another chance for Dembele. This time he was onside after a delightful ball into him from Karl Toto Ekambi but Dembele was always stretching for the cross and has no control over his volley and it travels high over the bar.
38′ It has been a very quiet night so far for Aouar, currently showing that Deschamps was right to leave him out of the French squad.
39′ Further proving my point, Depay dispossess Harold Moukoudi in Saint-Etienne’s half and plays in Aouar who goes clean through on goal but scuffs his shot allowing Moulin to save comfortably.
Embed from Getty Images41′ Goal Lyon 0-1 Saint-Etienne (Anthony Lopes) OG
Bouanga receives an excellent cross from the right-hand side. His initial header is saved superbly by Lopes but Bouanga gets the rebound and attempts to cross the ball in from a tight angle but Lopes who is wrong-footed palms the ball into the net.
43′ Lyon looking for an immediate response and they nearly had it. All of their attacks have come from Sinaly Diomandé and Dubois on this flank he plays the ball inside to Diomandé who shoots low but straight at Moulin.
Half-time
What an end to the first half, Rudi Garcia will be furious with his side as they have created numerous clear cut chances and failed to convert any of them.
Whereas Puel will be over the moon with his team’s performance, although if they are to win here it will be very much a snatch and grab but with the way his team have been performing of late this would be a huge three points.
46′ Lyon gets proceedings back underway, Garcia’s men will have to improve in front of goal if they are going to get anything from this game.
48′ Saint-Etienne’s game plan is very transparent, looking to counter Lyon with their three forwards. Yvan Neyou carries the ball passed Guimaraes cutting inside and his venomous shot is wide.
Embed from Getty Images50′ Guimaraes is booked now, it’s a very harsh decision if you ask me as he looked to have slipped and then caught the Saint-Etienne player as he fell.
52′ Now it’s Zaydou Youssouf who is booked for an obstruction on Depay. This referee is starting to brandish cards fairly loosely in this contest, hopefully, this won’t have a negative on this game.
53′ Another free-kick for Depay centrally but the Dutchman doesn’t connect as he would hope and the ball sails over the bar.
55′ Trouble for Lyon as Aouar is down and it’s not looking promising as he has just left the field.
58′ Amazingly Puel is looking the more collected of the two managers.
60′ Lyon look very open at the back every counter-attack has them stretched, Bouanga is giving them all sorts of headaches chasing after every loose ball. He receives the ball from Aouchiche but his shot is blocked and goes out for a corner.
Embed from Getty Images61′ It’s an excellent delivery on the corner and it’s met by an even better defensive header from Denayer for another corner which does not come to anything.
63′ Lucas Paqueta has been really bright since he came onto this right-hand side as he slips it inside to Depay whose purposefully heavy first touch takes it away from Youssouf but his shot is saved again and the subsequent shot is high over the bar.
64′ Lucas Gourna-Douath booked now for a foul on Depay, can he finally convert from another dangerous position.
66′ Goal Lyon 1-1 Saint-Etienne Tino Kadewere
Finally some quality in the final third from Lyon and its a smartly taken quick free-kick with Depay playing a cute reverse pass into Maxwel Cornet who slides across goal and a lovely Cruyff finish from an unmarked Tino Kadewere. Game on!
67′ The yellow cards are flying out the referees pocket now as Cornet is booked.
71′ Lyon so close to taking the lead the ball is slipped across to Ekambi who bends the ball with his left foot into the far corner only to be denied by the post. Lyon are creating chances at will here it only seems to be a matter of time before they get another.
74′ Goal Lyon 2-1 Saint-Etienne Kadewere
What a revelation Kadewere has been since he has come on. He shows superb feet down the left-hand byline, wrong-footing multiple defenders. Moulin tries to anticipate the cross from an acute angle but Kadewere double bluffs him and pokes it into an almost empty net.
75′ Wahbi Khazri replaces Charles Abi. Can he have a similar impact to Kadewere, Puel will hope so.
77′ Almost a perfect response good work down the right-hand side the ball is slipped into Romain Hamouma who fires the ball at the feet of Lopes who pulls off a wonder save keeping Lyon ahead.
78′ More changes now for Lyon, Cornet is replaced by Melvin Bard.
83′ One more booking just for good measure as Paqueta is now in the book as the referee looks to cool this heated game down.
87′ Huge drama here as it looks like the ball has struck the arm of Jean Lucas and referee goes to check the monitor.
Embed from Getty Images87′ Penalty! it looked like a fairly straight forward decision. It only took the referee one look and it was given and Saint-Etienne have a lifeline! Bouanga steps up to take it.
88′ He’s missed! He sends Lopes the wrong way but cannot hit the target. An enormous let off for Lyon. Heartbreak for Bouanga.
90′ Five added minutes, more than enough time for some more drama.
90+3′ Huge opportunity for Saint-Etienne a free-kick delivered to the back post and Bouanga volleys a teasing ball across the face of goal but there is no one there to meet it and the ball is cleared, tantalisingly close.
90+5 Great break away by Paqueta down the right flank the squares it to Ekambi who cant kill the game off and hits it straight at Moulin.
90+7 When it looked like the ref was about to blow the whistle a challenge from Thiago Mendes sparks a feisty reaction from Aïmen Moueffek. The ref diffuses the situation and books both players.
Full-time.
An unbelievable night of drama at the Groupama Stadium, what a second-half performance from Lyon and a masterclass in substitutions from Garcia as they have turned this game around and secured all three points. A memorable night for Kadewere and one he will surely not forget.
Puel on the other hand will be hoping this wasn’t the final nail in the coffin for his time as Saint-Etienne manager. Although it was a much better performance then what the scoreline suggests and they were very unlucky not to share the points. But no matter which way you swing it, it’s now six defeats in a row which is still unacceptable and could cost him his job.
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