SM
Barcelona vs. Brann: 4 hrs 5 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data
N
Ligue 1 | Gameweek 32
Apr 17, 2022 at 2pm UK
La Beaujoire-Louis Fonteneau
A

Nantes
1 - 1
Angers

Coulibaly (53')
Lafont (45+4'), Blas (70'), Girotto (90'), Pallois (90+1')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Boufal (18')
Thomas (50')

Preview: Nantes vs. Angers - prediction, team news, lineups

:Headline: Preview: Nantes vs. Angers - prediction, team news, lineups:
Sports Mole previews Sunday's Ligue 1 clash between Nantes and Angers, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Sports Mole

Meeting in a Loire derby at Stade de la Beaujoire, mid-table Nantes and struggling Angers return to Ligue 1 action on Sunday.

Having both secured draws last weekend, the ninth-placed hosts lead their visitors by 13 points in the standings and will hope for a repeat of September's 4-1 win in the reverse fixture.


Match preview

After suffering successive defeats to end March - losing to both Troyes and Lille - this month has started more positively for Nantes, who followed up their 3-2 victory over Clermont with an away draw last time out.

The matchwinner a week previously, Randal Kolo Muani struck again at Stade Francis-Le Ble last Sunday, but his 10th-minute goal was ultimately cancelled out by Brendan Chardonnet's second-half equaliser for the hosts.

As a result, Antoine Kombouare's men have slipped one place in the table, but with Lille and Lens both within two points of them with seven games still to go, they can feasibly challenge for a spot in the top six by the season's end.

Les Canaris will be faced by local rivals in their 2000th Ligue 1 game this week - also their 1000th on home soil - and as they have accrued their best points tally at this stage of a campaign since 2004, when they went on to finish sixth, will be confident of coming out on top.

Having enjoyed a comprehensive win when the sides last met, and with the club's best win-rate against any top-flight opponents being against Angers, the Coupe de France finalists certainly kick off with history on their side.

Though they held Sunday's opponents to a 1-1 draw on their last trip to Stade de la Beaujoire back in December 2020, Angers also lost 3-1 at home to Nantes just over a year ago, so an inferiority complex in this match-up would be understandable.

However, Les Noirs et Blancs have been beaten in just one of their last three Ligue 1 matches after previously enduring a seven-game losing streak, and they remain on course to complete their survival mission when the campaign concludes next month.

After Sofiane Boufal's penalty secured a vital win over Brest just before the international break, Gerard Baticle's side fell to a 3-2 defeat at Lyon, then last week they came close to taking all three points off reigning champions Lille.

Leading by a single goal heading into the final 20 minutes, Edon Zhegrova's equaliser meant that they had to settle for only a point, but now sitting six points clear of the relegation playoff place, Angers will hope that the tide has been turned.

To ensure they are not dragged into the bottom three over the next few weeks, though, such improvement must continue, and they will hope to take something away from this local affair as their following opponents are champions-elect Paris Saint-Germain.

Nantes Ligue 1 form:
  • D
  • W
  • L
  • L
  • W
  • D

Nantes form (all competitions):
  • W
  • W
  • L
  • L
  • W
  • D

Angers Ligue 1 form:
  • L
  • L
  • L
  • W
  • L
  • D



Team News

Though Nantes defender Jean-Charles Castelletto faces a one-match suspension for accumulated bookings, his ban will not apply until the midweek trip to Marseille, so the Cameroon international should feature in the hosts' back three on Sunday.

Antoine Kombouare will be without Nicolas Pallois and long-term absentee Charles Traore due to injuries, though, while Samuel Moutoussamy remains a doubt with an ankle problem.

The former PSG coach is unlikely to make many changes from last week's starting XI - with in-form Randal Kolo Muani leading the line again - but winger Willem Geubbels, on loan from Monaco, is pushing for a place in the side.

Meanwhile, Angers will have Souleyman Doumbia out of action as he serves a suspension, so Mathias Pereira Lage could switch across to the left flank as cover. Jimmy Cabot is also set to be unavailable with an ankle injury.

Once again, former Southampton forward Sofiane Boufal will look to provide the visitors with inspiration in attack, having registered seven goals and five assists in Ligue 1 this term.

Nantes possible starting lineup:
Lafont; Castelletto, Girotto, Appiah; Fabio, Cyprien, Chirivella, Merlin; Blas, Simon; Muani

Angers possible starting lineup:
Mandrea; Ebosse, Thomas, Traore; Bamba, Bentaleb, Mangani, Mendy, Lage; Boufal; Bahoken


We say: Nantes 2-1 Angers

Nantes can give their unlikely push for the top six a boost by adding three more points to an impressive tally, as they have already won nine of their 15 home fixtures and represent a tough nut to crack at Stade de la Beaujoire.

Despite flickers of hope for Angers of late, they do not travel well and are set to once again fall short.


body check tags ::

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


amp_article__483377 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2022-04-15 09:02:46:
html db last update - 2022-04-15 07:16:05 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html
Read more!
Share this article now:


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Recommended Next on SM
Sunday's Ligue 1 predictions including Marseille vs. Montpellier
Lionel Messi reveals decision over retirement
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Paris Saint-GermainPSG26178162233959
2Brest26138536201647
3MonacoMonaco26137647361146
4Lille261110537231443
5Nice2612772720743
6Lens2612683527842
7Marseille26109740281239
8Rennes2610974031939
9Reims26115103435-138
10Lyon26104123040-1034
11Toulouse2678112936-729
12StrasbourgStrasbourg2678112839-1129
13Le HavreLe Havre2669112633-727
14Montpellier HSCMontpellier2669113140-926
15Lorient2668123549-1426
16NantesNantes2674152441-1725
17Metz2665152339-1623
18Clermont2648141943-2420
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

How Man United could line up against Brentford

1

HM

Arsenal 'draw up 10-man striker shortlist'

2

A'

Man Utd 'angered by midfielder's loan situation'

NEW

3

MU

Man Utd 'set low asking price for out-of-favour midfielder'

NEW

4

MU

Preview: Spurs vs. Luton - prediction, team news, lineups

5

PS

Arsenal injury, suspension list vs. Man City - Saka, Gabriel

6

AI

Real Madrid injury, suspension list vs. Athletic

7

RM

England attacking duo 'in danger of missing out on Euro 2024'

8

EA

Liverpool injury, suspension list vs. Brighton

9

LI

Manchester United could be missing nine players for Brentford clash

10

MU


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .