Ligue 1 Preview: Cartier wants consistency on his watch

Ahead of an imposing trip to Lyon, Metz boss Albert Cartier is demanding an improvement as his side face a battle to stay up.

Metz coach Albert Cartier has called for his side to show greater consistency as they prepare to visit Ligue 1 leaders Lyon on Sunday.

Cartier’s men sit 17th in Ligue 1 and are only outside the relegation zone on goal difference following a run of just one win in their last 13 league games.

Last season’s Ligue 2 champions threw away a 2-1 lead to lose 3-2 at home to Montpellier last Saturday, much to Cartier’s frustration.

“We were fortunate to be leading at half-time and this was our worst home display of the season,” Cartier said. 

“We weren’t aggressive enough in defence and watched their good players play in a passive fashion.

“We didn’t have enough going forward either. We need to put a run together of good displays, not just play well from time to time as we did at Nantes [in a goalless draw] in the previous game.”

The visitors will need to show a vast improvement to take all three points at Stade de Gerland when they face a Lyon team that has won six straight league games and have already scored 45 goals in the French top flight this term.

Saint-Etienne beat Lyon 3-0 prior to their winning run, and Christophe Galtier’s side can boost their title aspirations with victory over Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday.

PSG are four points adrift of Lyon in third, one point ahead of Saint-Etienne, and were unconvincing in a 4-2 success over Evian at the weekend following a 1-0 Coupe de la Ligue win at Saint-Etienne last Tuesday.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic netted the only goal in the cup game with an effort that the hosts did not believe had crossed the line – resulting in objects being thrown on to the pitch by home fans, who will be baying for revenge this weekend.

Second-placed Marseille can return to the top of the table by beating a Nice side looking for their third consecutive triumph in Friday’s Mediterranean derby.

In-form Monaco and Montpellier will aim to strengthen their respective pushes for a top-four berth with wins over Lille and Nantes, while Caen travel to Rennes on Sunday hoping to build on their fine 4-1 success against Reims and move off the bottom.

Evian and Toulouse meet in a clash that could prove crucial in the fight against the drop and second bottom Lens go to Champagne country to take on Reims.

Elsewhere, Guingamp host Lorient and Bordeaux visit Bastia.