In the midst of a bottom-half logjam, Nantes will be keen to make the most of three home games in their next four fixtures, starting with Monaco.
Match News and Current Form
Nantes rediscovered the winning feeling after a run of five Ligue 1 games without victory (D3, L2) with a 2-1 triumph over Paris FC last Friday, but wins for Le Havre and Angers meant that they moved just one point away from the relegation play-off spot. With their only two victories this season having come against newly promoted Paris FC and relegation contenders Auxerre, La Maison Jaune are in need of a scalp to boost belief, but a return to the Stade de la Beaujoire may not assist them in that respect, as they average exactly one point per match at home this term.
Monaco are in contention for a fifth top-three finish in six seasons after extending their unbeaten home league record to 13 games (W11, D2) with a 1-0 win over Toulouse - their first Ligue 1 clean sheet of the campaign and a first victory for new head coach Sébastien Pocognoli, who has not yet lost in any competition since taking the role (W1, D2). The travelling fans will hope that a ‘new manager bounce’ can help Les Monégasques avoid some of their early-season struggles on the road, which have led to them winning only one of their first four French top-flight away trips (W1, D1, L2) of the campaign despite being pre-match favourites on every occasion.
Head-to-Head History
Monaco are unbeaten in the last 14 Ligue 1 meetings between the sides (W9, D5), but Nantes could be hopeful of drawing here, having done so in each of their last four home league H2Hs.
Hot Stats and Streaks
No side have scored more than two goals in any Nantes game this season.
Eight of Nantes’ nine matches this term have been drawn or decided by a one-goal margin.
Monaco have scored one or two goals in five of their last six games.
Six of Monaco’s last seven Ligue 1 matches have seen both teams score.
Key Players to Watch and Missing Players
Matthis Abline returned to scoring form last Friday and should relish this contest from a personal perspective, with three goals in four career appearances against Monaco. Monaco have earned 41 out of a possible 51 league points (W13, D2, L2) when Takumi Minamino has found the net, including four against Nantes across the last two campaigns.
Nantes were still without Francis Coquelin and Johann Lepenant for their latest encounter, while Pocognoli suggested last Friday that Paul Pogba’s Monaco debut could be “a few weeks away”.
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Betting Analysis
Both sides have scored in six of the last seven H2Hs and a lack of recent clean sheets suggests that both teams will score.
Author: Aaron Murphy