Lyon are desperately looking for a lifeline following the embarrassing 4-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, whereas Toulouse enter the game in much better spirits having ended a four-match winless run with a 5-1 triumph over Sochaux.

Les Gones have been on a major downtrend ever since they won the last of their seven successive Ligue 1 titles in 2008.

With key players continuing to leave Stade Gerland, Remi Garde’s side have been unable to cope with newly-rich Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco, with the team already well behind their top 3 rivals.

It was the 4-0 defeat at Parc des Princes that showed a huge gap in quality between the Ligue 1 leaders and Lyon, and the players might need some time to recover from such a big blow.

And the mere fact Lyon are as much as 1.95 (19/20) to see off Toulouse is enough to suggest the hosts again face a difficult task.

Bafetimbi Gomis is set to return after missing the PSG defeat with a back problem, but Jimmy Briand, Mouhamadou Dabo, Yassine Benzia, Anthony Lopes and Rachid Ghezzal remain sidelined.

Probable starting line-up (4-3-1-2): Vercoutre – M. Lopez, Bisevac, Umtiti, Bedimo – Grenier, Fofana, Gonalons – Gourcuff – Gomis, Lacazette.

Toulouse long ago established themselves as genuine top table side in France’s elite division, and they have been doing pretty well this season.

Le Tefece recovered well from the five-match winless run in the opening exchanges, winning four of next five league fixtures and only losing to leaders PSG.

However, then came a new four-match winless run that threatened to ruin team’s season, but once again Alain Casanova’s side produced the right response and returned to winning ways at the weekend.

Having turned on the style to hammer Sochaux 5-1, albeit being quite fortunate in the process, le Tefece are now 2.00 (1/1) to avoid defeat at Stade Gerland.

Alain Casanova will have to make do without full-back Serge Aurier, who is banned, but Oscar Trejo returns from suspension.

Meanwhile, Amadou Soukouna, Zaniou Sana and Mihai Roman remain in the infirmary and are set to miss the trip to Lyon.

Probable starting line-up (3-5-2): Ahamada – Spajic, Zebina, Abdennour – Ninkov, Chantome, Aguilar, Siriex, Sylla – Ben Yedder, Braithwaite.