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

Reims will welcome Nantes on Sunday in Ligue 1, and the hosts will look to add to the seven points they have already collected this season.

The visitors head into the encounter looking for their third consecutive league win and they go into the weekend with 10 points from their opening seven fixtures.

Match preview

© Reuters

The story of Reims' start to the season has been draws, with four of their first seven fixtures ending all square.

As a result, they have been only been victorious once this season and have lost on two occasions with one of those defeats coming in their previous fixture.

On Wednesday they lost 2-1 away to Lille, conceding twice in the first half and though Alexis Flips scored from the spot, Reims could not find an equaliser.

The hosts are still looking for their first win at Stade Auguste-Delaune this term, and they know that if they want to avoid a relegation fight then their home form will need to improve.

However, Reims will fancy themselves to win at the weekend as they boast an impressive head to head record against Nantes - they have only lost to them on two occasions in their last 11 meetings.

© Reuters

Nantes' season got off to a promising start as they collected four points from their opening two league games but that promising started was halted, as Les Canaries then went on to lose their next three Ligue 1 matches.

After those three successive defeats, Nantes got their season back on track with a resounding 4-1 win over Angers and then during the week they beat Brest 3-1 thanks to goals from Ludovic Blas, Pedro Chirivella and an own goal from Lilian Brassier.

Antoine Kombouare's will hope his side can carry their newly-found goalscoring touch into the weekend, as they have scored seven goals in their last two games.

Blas has been crucial in Nantes' success, scoring four of the 10 goals his side have got this term, and he will be a key player to look out for on Sunday.

Les Canaries will hope their important players show up at the weekend as they seek to get revenge against Reims after they lost both league games to them last season.

Team News

© Reuters

Moussa Doumbia and Valon Berisha are both missing for Reims with foot injuries.

The home side will also be without the injured trio of Mathieu Cafaro, El Bilal Toure and Fraser Hornby.

Additionally, Oscar Garcia has long-term absentee Aber Zeneli unavailable as he is out with an ACL injury.

Nantes are without Fabio and Anthony Limbombe, who have groin and hamstring problems respectively.

After a comfortable victory during the week, Kombouare could name an unchanged side as he aims to guide his team to a third consecutive victory.

Reims possible starting lineup:
Rajkovic; Foket, Gravillon, Faes, Abdelhamid, Konan; Munetsi, Matusiwa, Cassama; Mbuku, Van Bergen

Nantes possible starting lineup:
Lafont; Corchia, Castelletto, Pallois, Traore; Blas, Girotto, Chirivella, Simon; Coulibaly, Kolo Muani

We say: Reims 1-2 Nantes

Despite Reims' impressive head-to-head record against Sunday's opponents, we think Nantes will win this one as they will enter the fixture on a crest of a wave and the visitors should collect their third win in as many games.