Stade Rennais FC - FC Lorient

- kick-off: 11:00 GMT

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Rennes have been third behind Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique de Marseille for each of the last five rounds of fixtures, but their cushion on those below them has been deflated in recent weeks.

Les Rouge et Noir welcome Breton rivals Lorient to their Roazhon Park on Saturday with 56 points on the board, but having lost to 3-1 to Monaco last Friday before falling 2-1 to Strasbourg in midweek, their advantage on that pair has been cut to goal-difference alone.

Injury list

Injuries haven't helped - first-choice goalkeeper Alfred Gomis has been out with a fractured finger whilst Nayef Aguerd's bout of flu has seen midfielder Baptiste Santamaria partner Warmed Omari at centre-back - but Génésio isn't looking for excuses.

"We've already rebounded several times in the season," he said. "We have character. We'll welcome Lorient, who are fighting for their survival. We have to get everything back on track to move forward and manage our emotions at the business end of the season.

Watch: Highlights of Rennes's 2-1 loss in Strasbourg

"I've often urged caution when people have mentioned the Champions League. We're learning about the high level of play and consistency that requires."

Aguerd is now back in the fold, but Gomis is joined on the sidelines by wingers Kamaldeen Sulemana and Jérémy Doku through back and calf injuries respectively, while defenders Loïc Badé (groin) and Jérémy Gélin (cruciate ligament) are longer-term injury absentees.

Lorient recovery

Lorient make the 100-mile journey east some 22 points south of their hosts in the table in 15th. In the automatic relegation places for six weeks since the turn of the year, but les Merlus have recovered in recent weeks.

AS Saint-Étienne were thrashed 6-2 a fortnight ago, and although they lost 2-1 to OGC Nice last Sunday, Lorient rebounded with a 1-0 win over FC Metz in midweek which left them seven points clear of Girondins de Bordeaux in the nearest relegation place.

Watch: Highlights of Lorient's 1-0 win over Metz

Lorient won ugly against Metz, conceding 20 shots on their goal and only prevailing thanks to Dango Ouattara's 95th-minute strike, but that is survival form and Génésio's opposite number Christophe Pélissier knows it.

"Maybe I'm going to spout a silly phrase to you, but the important thing is the three points," he told the press after the game. "This was one of our worst home performances of the season. With five or six minutes to go I was hoping for a draw at best.

Different tack?

"At the end of the season you're not going to innovate tactically. We expect a bit of waste, technically. But we know what we need to do different for the last five games."

Thomas Monconduit and Stéphane Diarra are out with thigh injuries. The former's absence means that Bonke Innocent is almost certain to anchor Lorient's midfield, even if the Nigeria midfielder is one booking away from a suspension.

Possible teams

Rennes: Alemdar; Traoré, Omari, Aguerd, Truffert; Santamaria, Martin; Bourigeaud, Majer, Terrier; Laborde

Lorient: Dreyer; Mendes, Laporte, Pétrot, Le Goff; Le Fée, Innocent, Abergel; Laurienté, Koné, Moffi