Both Auxerre and Saint-Étienne, having climbed up from France's second tier during the off-season, remain locked in a fierce battle to maintain their top-tier status. Currently, Saint-Étienne teeter on the edge of the danger zone, while their closest opponents stand five points clear of the relegation play-off spots.
Auxerre approach this fixture without a Ligue 1 win since November. In the autumn, their audacious attacking approach, influenced by legendary figure Djibril Cissé in the coaching staff, kept fans entertained. However, since December, their attacking prowess has all but vanished, failing to score in five of their last seven outings. Last Sunday against Angers (0:2), they mustered only 0.51 xG over 90 minutes, with an early red card for central defender Gabriel Osho forcing them to reshuffle.
Matches against Paris Saint-Germain (1:2) and Nantes (1:1) exposed Saint-Étienne's frailties in attack organisation — registering just 0.99 xG across the last 180 minutes. They increasingly rely on attacks down the left flank, capitalising on Zuriko Davitashvili's excellent form, though opponents have started to contain the Georgian forward effectively. In nine away matches this season, Saint-Étienne have secured a single point, placing them at the bottom, with five defeats to nil in this period.
In three January rounds of Ligue 1, Auxerre have managed just 2.82 xG and one goal, marking the worst figures in the league. Saint-Étienne will be content with a draw at their rival's ground, which is why there’s little expectation for the upper total limit to be exceeded.
