Continuing their defence of the Coupe de France, Nantes visit Stade Raymond Kopa on Wednesday, when they meet Angers in this year's last 16.
While Les Canaris have lost just one of their last six league games, their hosts remain rock-bottom of Ligue 1 - with two of just four wins this season having come in the cup.
Match preview
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After being held until the final quarter of Sunday's league fixture at Ajaccio, Nantes ultimately managed to score twice - through Evann Guessand and Ludovic Blas - to bounce straight back from their first defeat of 2023.
Beaten 2-0 by high-flying Marseille a few days earlier, Les Canaris took maximum points from one of their fellow strugglers and now remain unbeaten in their last four away games.
Indeed, a tally of four straight clean sheets on the road - something Nantes last achieved in 1997 - has helped lift Antoine Kombouare's side closer to mid-table and ever further from danger near the foot of Ligue 1.
They also saw off the respective challenges of Vire and Thaon in the early rounds of the Coupe de France last month, though it took a penalty shootout to squeeze past the latter following a goalless draw in the Vosges.
Goals have proved something of a problem for Kombouare this season, as his team have failed to score on nine occasions, but a mere two conceded since the winter break - and a total of seven clean sheets all told - demonstrates their resilience at the other end.
All of which leaves them seven points clear of the Ligue 1 drop zone and able to fully focus on retaining the trophy they won last May, when a Blas penalty saw the Loire club lift the cup for the first time in 22 years.
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One of several sides unable to break through Nantes' defensive wall this term, Angers' last league meeting with Wednesday's visitors was a goalless home draw in August.
Les Noirs et Blancs are set to meet them again on the final day, by which time their relegation to Ligue 2 will surely be confirmed barring a miraculous turnaround in the weeks ahead.
Angers travelled to Stade du Moustoir to face Lorient on Sunday, when they sought just a second away victory of the season, but a 0-0 stalemate leaves them rooted to the foot of the table and fully 10 points from safety.
Nonetheless, having at least halted a dispiriting streak of 13 league losses - which matched Ligue 1's all-time record - Abdel Bouhazama's weary troops can now return to cup competition, where they have enjoyed relative success.
Eliminating RC Strasbourg on spot-kicks and then edging past a less illustrious Strasbourg-based club, FCOSK 06, in the following round has got Angers this far, but their toughest test yet awaits on Wednesday.
Team News
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Ahead of an important Ligue 1 clash with Lorient at the weekend, Nantes coach Antoine Kombouare may well turn to some of his fringe players to tackle lowly Angers in the cup.
Experienced pair Andy Delort - who recently joined on loan from Nice - and Moussa Sissoko could also come into the visitors' side, while two other recruits who arrived along with Delort in the winter transfer window are set to be retained.
Florent Mollet, formerly of Schalke, and France Under-20 left-back Jaouen Hadjam should feature again, with the latter standing in for Quentin Merlin, who is sidelined until next month with an adductor injury; Nicolas Pallois (knee) also misses out.
Meanwhile, Angers' Souleyman Doumbia remains suspended after his red card against Ajaccio resulted in a three-match ban, so new signing Faouzi Ghoulam will compete with fellow Algerian Ilyes Chetti for a place on the hosts' left flank.
Goalkeeper Yahia Fofana is still on the treatment table, and Paul Bernardoni starts again after keeping a rare clean sheet last time out.
Angers possible starting lineup:
Bernardoni; Valery, Hountondji, Blazic, Ghoulam; Salama, Bentaleb, Mendy, Abdelli; Hunou, Niane
Nantes possible starting lineup:
Lafont; Centonze, Castelletto, Girotto, Hadjam; Sissoko, Moutoussamy; Blas, Mollett, Simon; Delort
We say: Angers 0-2 Nantes
Though they no longer own the worst defensive record in Ligue 1 after their goalless draw last time out, no side has scored fewer goals in the French top flight this term, so Angers cannot be expected to knock out the holders.
Nantes are building some precious momentum which could carry them to safety, and another win here will send them through to the cup quarter-finals too.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
