Saint-Etienne vs Metz preview - Galtier calls for killer instinct

Posted Friday, October 24, 2014 by PA

St Etienne coach Christophe Galtier wants to see a cutting edge from his side for the Ligue 1 visit of Metz on Sunday evening.

Les Verts ended Inter Milan's 100 per cent Europa League record with a creditable goalless draw at the San Siro on Thursday night, but Galtier feels they would have caused a real upset had St Etienne's attacking play matched their tactical approach against the Italian giants.

"We showed some mastery of the game but we were unable to score," Galtier told his club's official website.

"On a general level the team played well but we lacked the accuracy to be decisive. In the end there was frustration because we came with the ambition of winning."

Fifth-placed St Etienne are looking for a second consecutive league victory after bouncing back from defeats to Marseille and Toulouse by winning 1-0 at Lorient last weekend.

They should welcome back midfielder Benjamin Corgnet and striker Kevin Monnet-Paquet after both players were partially rested against Inter.

Newly-promoted Metz have scored only once in five away games this season - in a 1-0 win at Guingamp a month ago - but victory would take them above St Etienne after making a decent start to life in Ligue 1.

"We took a point thanks to a good attitude and a good spirit," Metz coach Albert Cartier told his club's official website after last week's goalless home draw against Rennes.

"It's not a lack of ambition but sometimes when you get a draw you say it is a good point made."

Metz's task has not been made any easier this weekend by the fact away supporters have been banned from the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard following crowd trouble in previous matches between the two clubs.

But Guirane N'Daw and Romain Metanire are set to return to the starting XI and Kevin Lejeune is hoping to play with a protective face mask after breaking his nose in training.