Preview: Metz vs. Nimes - prediction, team news, lineups

Metz host Nimes in Ligue 1 on Sunday with the visitors in desperate need of a win to avoid relegation.

Nimes are currently six points off safety in 19th with just three games to play, while the home team are set for a mid-table finish sitting in ninth position.

Match preview

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Metz managed to end a run of seven league games without a win last time out, with an emphatic 5-1 win away from home against already-relegated Dijon.

Ten-man Dijon had managed to get a goal back early in the second half to make it 2-1, after first-half strikes from Lamine Gueye and Pape Sarr, but Metz made no doubt of the win in the last 20 minutes of the game scoring three goals.

Late finishes from Vagner Goncalves and Dylan Bronn mean the Maroons have now scored 31% of this season's goals in the last 15 minutes of matches.

Frederic Antonetti's side will be pleased to have got back to winning ways following a poor run of form without a league win in March or April, seeing their hopes of a European finish fade away.

However, they will still be very pleased with where they are in the table currently, with 46 points after 35 games, which is their highest tally at this stage of a season since the 1996-97 campaign.

Despite not playing for anything, Metz will want to end a run of five successive home defeats as they face Nimes, who they beat 1-0 away from home earlier in the season.

However, Nimes come into this game knowing they must win if they want to stay in the top flight next season, currently sitting two points behind Nantes, who occupy the relegation playoff position, and six adrift of Lorient in complete safety.

After a 2-1 win away to league leaders Lille before the March international break, Pascal Plancque's side have failed to win in their last five matches, meaning safety is out of their hands going into the last three games.

Come the end of the season, Nimes may be regretting conceding late on to Reims last time out, after Renaud Ripart and Moussa Kone had put the Crocodiles 2-1 up in the second half.

Nimes will have to re-write the record books with a much-needed victory on Sunday, having not won away to Metz in their last 12 attempts, with their last win at the Stade Saint-Symphorien coming all the way back in 1973.

Team News

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Metz top-goalscorer Ibrahima Niane made his first start against Dijon, after returning from an ACL injury that has ruled him out since October, registering 60 minutes and he will probably play the same amount of time this weekend.

Attacker Opa Nguette could possibly return to the matchday squad following a muscle injury, while Vincent Pajot, Warren Tchimbembe and Manuel Cabit remain sidelined through injury for the rest of the season.

There are no fresh injuries for the visitors going into the weekend but they will remain without defender Pablo Martinez for the rest of the season due to a knee injury.

Plancque will have to make a decision on whether his midfield duo Andres Cubas and Anthony Briancon, who have both been out with thigh injuries, are able to return to the matchday squad, alongside forward Clement Depress who is near to a return from an ACL injury.

Metz possible starting lineup:
Oukidja; Bronn, Boye, N'Doram; Centonze, Sarr, Maiga, Udol; Gueye, Niane, Ambrose

Nimes possible starting lineup:
Reynet; Burner, Ueda, Landre, Meling; Deaux, Sarr; Ripart, Eliasson, Ferhat; Kone

We say: Metz 2-2 Nimes

There have been over 2.5 goals in 10 of Nimes' last 12 away games and this is likely to be another high scoring affair with both teams wanting to win for different reasons.

Despite knowing they need a win for survival, Nimes have a dismal record away to Metz and are unlikely to end that this weekend on current form.

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