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

Reigning Ligue 1 champions Lille will aim to rise into the top half of the table this weekend as Nantes pay a visit to the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.

Jocelyn Gourvennec's side overcame Red Bull Salzburg 1-0 in the Champions League in midweek, while the visitors' most recent clash saw them go down 3-1 to Paris Saint-Germain.

Match preview

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After Burak Yilmaz led the Lille charge towards the Ligue 1 title last term, it is now Jonathan David's turn to produce the goods for Les Dogues, as the Canadian hotshot's ruthless streak continued domestically and continentally after the international break.

Before scoring the only goal of the game against Salzburg to send Les Dogues top of Champions League Group G, David had notched up a brace in his side's league battle with Monaco, only to see Lille's two-goal lead slip following responses from Krepin Diatta and Wissam Ben Yedder.

Despite posting back-to-back successes in Europe, Lille have now gone five games without victory in the French top flight - an embarrassing statistic for champions - and they occupy 12th spot in the table as a result.

Having already sealed qualification in Europe - whether it be to the Champions League knockout stages or Europa League - the fixture list will not become any friendlier for Gourvennec's side, but their home form can serve as encouragement.

Indeed, Les Dogues have strung together a five-game unbeaten streak in Ligue 1 at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy - taking 11 points from the last 15 on offer on home soil - but Nantes will endeavour to take advantage of the champions' continental fatigue.

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Nantes defender Dennis Appiah will not score a more sensational goal for the duration of his career, but unfortunately for the 29-year-old right-back, it was at the wrong end of the pitch at the Parc des Princes as PSG ran out comfortable winners.

After Kylian Mbappe and Randal Kolo Muani had netted - while Keylor Navas saw red following a rush of blood to the head - Appiah's deflected own goal spectacularly looped over the head of Alban Lafont before Lionel Messi's first Ligue 1 goal for PSG capped off a routine win.

There was to be no happy return for Antoine Kombouare in the capital following last season's shock success over Les Parisiens, and having now gone three games without a win in the division, Les Canaris sit 11th in the table - one point above their weekend hosts.

Kombouare's side are enjoying their respectable mid-table ranking after last term's relegation dogfight, but they travel to Lille having won just one of their seven away games this term and without a clean sheet on the road in that time.

Lille marched to a pair of 2-0 wins over Nantes during their title-winning 2020-21 season, and the champions welcome Les Canaris to the Stade Pierre-Mauroy aiming to secure their seventh successive league win in this fixture, with their last defeat to Nantes coming in September 2015.

Team News

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Lille midfielder Amadou Onana returns from a domestic suspension for this encounter, while Zeki Celik is banned for the trip to Rennes on December 1 but is fine for this game.

Sven Botman is closing in on a return from a groin injury but may not be ready to take his place at the back just yet, although Renato Sanches and Jonathan Bamba have made timely returns to fitness.

Jonathan Ikone and Benjamin Andre served suspensions in the win over Salzburg but ought to take their places in the side here, as Xeka and Timothy Weah drop down to the bench.

As for Nantes, Kombouare will welcome the return of Nicolas Pallois from suspension, but Sebastien Corchia had to be substituted after just 42 minutes of the defeat to PSG through injury.

The right-back appeared to leave the field with a thigh problem, so Appiah should be given a chance to redeem himself as Pallois takes his rightful place alongside Jean-Charles Castelletto.

Top assister Moses Simon is also ready to return from his muscular problem, but Charles Traore, Roli Pereira de Sa and Renaud Emond make up a trio of absentees for the visitors.

Lille possible starting lineup:
Grbic; Celik, Fonte, Djalo, Reinildo; Ikone, Andre, Sanches, Bamba; David, Yilmaz

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

We say: Lille 2-1 Nantes

Nantes starting the day above Lille in the table truly represents the champions' alarming fall from grace, but Gourvennec will hope to see his side take inspiration from their positive results in Europe.

Having struggled to make a game of it against PSG with a man advantage, Nantes' poor fortunes on the road are set to continue as Lille - boosted by some key returns - continue their unbeaten streak at home.

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