Less than three weeks ahead of the November 8 vote, the two candidates are set to square off in Las Vegas on Wednesday, for the third and final debate showdown.

Republican nominee Trump will be hoping to bounce back from allegations made by several women who complained he made unwanted sexual advances on them. The accusations came after the release of a 2005 tape that saw Trump make lewd and crass remarks about women.

The 70-year-old Trump has relied on an increasingly outspoken strategy as the campaign goes on and is now alleging that the election will be rigged.

Allegations of intimidation

Clinton, meanwhile, faces questions about her trustworthiness that have dogged her throughout the campaign. Trump has claimed that Hillary Clinton attacked and intimidated women who were involved in affairs with her husband.

Millions are expected watch the debate at the University of Nevada, which begins at 9 p.m. EDT (0100 UTC) and which is being moderated by Fox News journalist Chris Wallace.

Polls in recent weeks show Clinton pulling ahead of Trump on a national level and in key swing states. In an average of national polls compiled by RealClearPolitics, she leads by six points.

The second of the three debates was generally hailed as having been a victory for Clinton, with Trump having appeared defensive in the wake of the release of the video.

rc/jr (AFP, AP, Reuters)