Saint-Étienne host Nantes at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard on Saturday, October 24, in a Ligue 2 meeting between teams with contrasting starts to the season. Kick-off is scheduled for 18:00 local time. The hosts lead the table after winning seven of their first nine league matches and have taken maximum points from four home fixtures. Nantes, relegated from the top flight at the start of the season, sit 14th with two wins from nine. Their latest defeat has added to the pressure as they prepare to visit the league leaders.

Saint-Étienne's Recent Form and Key Stats

Saint-Étienne opened their Ligue 2 campaign with five straight victories before losing 2-1 to Dunkerque and drawing 2-2 with Metz. They have since responded with consecutive wins, beating Rodez 2-0 and Red Star 1-0. The latter result, recorded on October 17, left them with seven wins, one draw and one defeat from nine league games.

Their season averages of 2.4 goals scored and 0.9 conceded per match underline the balance behind that start. Across their last five games, Saint-Étienne have three wins, one draw and one defeat, scoring an average of 2.2 goals and conceding 1.0. They have also led at half-time in seven of their last 11 Ligue 2 matches. At home, the record is straightforward: four league fixtures, four victories.

Ian Cathro will nevertheless be without Paul Eymard, Gautier Larsonneur and Tamar Svetlin. With Larsonneur unavailable, Mamour Ndiaye is expected to continue in goal after keeping a clean sheet against Red Star. Julien Le Cardinal, who went off injured in the previous league round, is available for this match.

Saint-Étienne also have recent attacking contributions to draw on. Jakob Breum has been decisive three times across the last two Ligue 2 rounds, while Augustine Boakye has scored five league goals this season. Their output gives the hosts further encouragement as they look to extend their winning run.

Nantes' Recent Form and Key Stats

Nantes have found their return to Ligue 2 difficult. Three defeats in their opening three matches led to a change of coach, with Grégory Poirier replacing Michel Der Zakarian. Results briefly improved, but the Canaries lost 3-2 at home to Dunkerque on October 17. Their league record now stands at two wins, two draws and five defeats.

The visitors have one win, one draw and three defeats from their last five matches. In that spell, they have averaged 1.0 goal scored and 1.4 conceded per game; across the season, those figures are 1.2 scored and 1.8 conceded. Nantes are 14th in Ligue 2, and the latest loss leaves them seeking a response against opponents who have not dropped a home point so far.

Availability is another concern for Poirier. Tylel Tati and Alexis Mirbach remain absent, while Dehmaine Tabibou is uncertain. Patrik Carlgren is expected in goal. Elsewhere, the squad includes experienced defensive options in Frédéric Guilbert, Lucas Perrin and Fabien Centonze.

Killian Corredor returned to the starting side in Nantes' last league match and has two Ligue 2 goals this season. Mathieu Cafaro, Thomas Robinet and Ignatius Ganago are among their other attacking options. Nantes will need more from that group if they are to improve on their recent scoring average.

Saint-Étienne vs Nantes Match Analysis

The clearest contrast in this Ligue 2 preview is between Saint-Étienne's home record and Nantes' recent results. The leaders have won all four of their league matches at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard and arrive after back-to-back victories. Nantes have lost three of their last five and conceded three goals against Dunkerque in their most recent outing. Saint-Étienne's season-long scoring average suggests they have the means to test a visiting side conceding 1.8 goals per match.

There are reasons not to treat the fixture as a formality. Saint-Étienne are missing Larsonneur, and the supplied head-to-head record shows no Saint-Étienne wins in the last five meetings: four draws and one Nantes victory. The most recent encounter finished 1-1 on January 19, 2025. That record offers Nantes some encouragement, even if the current league results favour the hosts.

Saint-Étienne's seven wins from nine matches and perfect home return make them the stronger side on the evidence available. Nantes can point to a closely contested recent history between the teams, but reversing their present run will require a marked improvement on the defeat to Dunkerque. The match therefore sets Saint-Étienne's consistent league form against a Nantes side still looking for sustained momentum.

Saint-Étienne vs Nantes prediction from BetMines: Saint-Étienne win (1) with 61% probability.