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Sunday sees Nantes face off with Monaco at the Stade de la Beaujoire in a Ligue 1 game.
Just one position in the table separates these sides, with Monaco currently in sixth and Nantes one spot below them in 7th.
Which of these teams will start 2022 with a bang and come out on top?
Nantes vs Monaco Head-to-Head
After surviving in Ligue 1 by the skin of their teeth last season, Nantes have been one of the campaign’s surprise packages thus far in 2021-22.
They have won eight of their first 19 matches, and ended 2021 on a really high note, reeling off three straight wins over Lorient, Lens and Saint-Etienne.
Scoring goals is still an issue for Nantes – with 25, they have delivered the fewest of any side in Ligue 1’s top half – but their defense has been impressive, having only conceded 23 goals.
Monaco, meanwhile, have been on a good run of their own following a dodgy start to their campaign that saw them lose three of their opening five matches.
Since then, they’ve won a total of eight games, and have lost just once in their last seven, a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Paris St. Germain.
Monaco also started their 2022 in strong fashion last weekend, defeating Quevilly-Rouen to make the round of 16 in the Coupe de France.
Nantes have not defeated Monaco in any of their last six meetings, losing to their visitors this weekend on five occasions.
Nantes form guide: W-W-W-W-W
Monaco form guide: D-L-W-W-W
Nantes vs Monaco Team News
Nantes
Four players are set to miss this game due to their involvement in the Africa Cup of Nations, while a further two have been sidelined with COVID-19.
Injured: None
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Unavailable: Marcus Coco, Osman Bukari, Jean-Charles Castelletto, Kalifa Coulibaly, Charles Traore, Moses Simon
Monaco
Monaco have no fewer than 10 players likely to miss this game due to various issues, including a COVID-19 breakout in the squad.
Injured: Cesc Fabregas, Krepin Diatta
Doubtful: Benoit Badiashile, Aleksandr Golovin
Suspended: None
Unavailable: Jean Lucas, Sofiane Diop, Youssouf Fofana, Axel Disasi, Chrislain Matsima
Nantes vs Strasbourg Predicted XI
Nantes predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Alban Lafont, Dennis Appiah, Andrei Girotto, Nicolas Pallois, Fabio, Wylan Cyprien, Pedro Chirivella, Randal Kolo Muani, Ludovic Blas, Willem Geubbels, Renaud Emond
Monaco predicted XI (4-4-2): Alexander Nubel, Djibril Sidibe, Guillermo Maripan, Strahinja Pavlovic, Ismail Jakobs, Gelson Martins, Eliot Matazo, Aurelien Tchouameni, Caio Henrique, Wissam Ben Yedder, Kevin Volland
Nantes vs Strasbourg Prediction
This could be a tricky game to call given that both sides have a number of key players out of action, despite both teams being in good form coming in.
Overall, Monaco perhaps have the more dangerous attacking players here, but Nantes are more than capable of hurting their defense, meaning a draw seems to be a likely result.
Prediction: Nantes 1-1 Monaco
