Nantes vs Reims

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Guided by Pierre Aristouy, who is leading the team for his first full season, The Canaries have achieved four victories, two draws, and endured four defeats thus far. However, they approach the upcoming match following their most substantial loss this season, a 4-0 defeat against Lens.

Nonetheless, with advantageous fixtures scheduled this month, including matches against Metz and Le Havre, the hosts understand the significance of accumulating as many points as possible before they face tougher opponents like Nice, PSG, and Lyon in December.

The Green and Yellows will also draw confidence from this being a home game since they have garnered most of their points at this venue. They currently hold an unbeaten record of four games, including two consecutive wins at home.

Nevertheless, Aristouy will need to tackle the defensive vulnerabilities in his team if they intend to compete with the top half of the league. So far, they have conceded 19 goals this season, which ranks as the second-highest in the league, with only 15th-placed Lorient having a worse defensive record.

This Sunday afternoon at Stade de la Beaujoire - Louis Fonteneau, Nantes and Reims, two teams that are having a strong season in Ligue 1 (2023–24), will square off.

After ten games, the visitors are two places and three points ahead of the hosts, who are currently in seventh place with 14 points, making them the first team outside of the European qualification spots.

Nantes has had a great start to the current season and, with a little bit of luck, they might end up in the top five by this weekend. Last season, they just avoided relegation.

In the meantime, following their lower-half finish in the previous season, Reims has shown significant improvement in Ligue 1 this year. They are currently just five points behind the early-season league leaders, Nice, after completing the first 10 games.

Last week, the Red and Whites secured a hard-earned victory against Lorient, with defender Joshua Wilson-Esbrand scoring his first goal of the season in the 84th minute, making it the only goal of the match.

As a result of this win, Will Still's team has now won three out of their last five matches, with their sole defeat in that period occurring against Monaco just before the international break.

Reims has garnered eight points out of a possible 15 in away matches this season and will enter this game seeking to extend their four-game unbeaten streak on the road, which includes two victories and two draws.

In the previous season, Reims managed to secure wins both at home and away against this opponent. This included a convincing 3-0 triumph at this venue last April, following a 1-0 victory on their home ground back in November of the same year.

Nantes currently occupy the 7th position in the standings, whereas Reims are positioned two spots higher at 5th place. Nevertheless, there's just a three-point gap between the two teams, although it's worth noting that Nantes has a significantly weaker goal difference compared to Reims. Given these circumstances, which of these teams will manage to secure a victory this weekend to enhance their chances of finishing in the top half of the table?

Recent head-to-head matchups between Nantes and Reims seem to favor the latter. Reims has emerged victorious in five of their last six encounters with Nantes, including a convincing 3-0 win at the Stade de la Beaujoire in April. Nantes suffered a 4-0 defeat to Lens in their previous match, marking only their second loss in the last eight games. Prior to that, they had won four out of five matches, which allowed them to climb into the top half of the table.

Reims has also been on a strong run this season. They have suffered just one loss in their last five matches and have secured three wins in that span, including a 1-0 victory over Lorient in their last outing.

Both of these teams have been among the highest-scoring teams in Ligue 1, having each scored 16 goals thus far. Only Paris St. Germain and Monaco have netted more goals than them in the first ten games of the season. Nantes' forward, Mostafa Mohamed, has notched five goals in the campaign, with only Akor Adams of Montpellier and Kylian Mbappe of Paris St. Germain having scored more than the Egyptian international.

This match promises to provide some goals, as both teams have been prolific in front of the net this season. However, it's important to note that Nantes has conceded 19 goals, which is a concerning figure for a team with aspirations of finishing in the top half of the table.