Fellow strugglers Nantes and Strasbourg are locked on 32 points in the Ligue 1 table ahead of their pivotal relegation six-pointer at Stade de la Beaujoire on Sunday.

While Nantes find themselves in the drop zone, Strasbourg sit just outside the bottom four on goal difference, with both sides desperate for a win this weekend.

Match preview

A 10-game winless run has seen Nantes drop into the Ligue 1 relegation zone, with Wednesday's 2-0 defeat at Brest preceding a humiliating 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Toulouse in the Coupe de France final.

The Canaries have recorded four draws and six losses across their last 10 league outings, conceding 21 goals along the way, with at least two goals conceded in each of their previous five encounters.

To make matters worse for Nantes, many of their relegation rivals – including Strasbourg – have found some form in recent weeks, while Brest and Auxerre have picked up several positive results to steer clear of the bottom four.

If Antoine Kombouare's men are to avoid relegation, they will likely have their home form to thank, as Nantes have lost just three of their previous 13 league games at Stade de la Beaujoire.

With three 2-2 draws coming in their last four home league matches, the Canaries must start turning draws into wins if they are serious about beating the drop, as they only have five games left to save their season.

It would not be unfair to say that Strasbourg looked dead and buried when they endured a run of three victories in 17 league outings between October and March, suffering eight defeats in the process.

However, under the guidance of new boss Frederic Antonetti, La Racing have turned their campaign around in recent weeks, winning three of their previous six games to move above Nantes and out of the relegation zone.

After beating relegation rivals Auxerre, Strasbourg defeated Ligue 2-doomed Ajaccio before securing a hugely impressive 2-0 victory over Will Still's Reims, with Habib Diallo bagging a first-half brace at the Stade Auguste-Delaune.

Diallo has now scored 17 goals in 32 league appearances this season, while only five players have netted more Ligue 1 goals in 2022-23, so the Senegalese striker is certainly playing his part in Strasbourg's bid for survival.

It is also worth noting that Strasbourg pushed Lyon all the way last time out, although Antonetti's men ended up suffering a narrow 2-1 defeat on home soil, despite taking an early lead through Aston Villa loanee Morgan Sanson.

Team News

Nantes will be without Pedro Chirivella (hernia) this weekend, while key forward Andy Delort (muscle) is also expected to be absent from the squad after missing Wednesday's defeat at Brest.

Having bagged 11 goals and 5 assists in all competitions this season, Mostafa Mohamed will continue to lead the line, with Ignatius Ganago and Evann Guessand supporting the striker.

Samuel Moutoussamy and Andrei Girotto look set to continue in midfield, while Quentin Merlin and Fabien Centonze are likely to occupy the full-back roles.

The visitors, meanwhile, have a number of injury absentees, with Thomas Delaine (ankle), Eiji Kawashima (shoulder), Gerzino Nyamsi (ankle), Ibrahima Sissoko (calf) and Nordine Kandil on the sidelines.

Top scorer Habib Diallo will be supported by Habib Diarra and Morgan Sanson in attack, while Frederic Guilbert and Eduard Sobol will start as the wing-backs.

Elsewhere, the centre-back trio of Lucas Perrin, Alexander Djiku and Maxime Le Marchand will continue ahead of goalkeeper Matz Sels.

Nantes possible starting lineup:
Lafont; Centonze, Castelletto, Pallois, Merlin; Girotto, Moutoussamy; Guessand, Sissoko, Ganago; Mohamed

Strasbourg possible starting lineup:
Sels; Perrin, Djiku, Le Marchand; Guilbert, Aholou, Bellegarde, Sobol; Diarra, Sanson; Diallo

We say: Nantes 1-1 Strasbourg

Given that Sunday's relegation six-pointer is destined to be a tense and cagey affair as both sides aim to avoid defeat, we expect Nantes and Strasbourg to share the spoils at Stade de la Beaujoire.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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