Metz vs Nice preview - Puel guards against complacency

Nice manager Claude Puel is determined to guard against complacency as his side chase a fourth-straight win at Metz on Saturday.

After an indifferent first half of the season Puel's charges have started 2015 in fine form, sweeping aside Lorient, Bordeaux and high-flying Marseille in recent weeks.

By contrast Metz have slipped to the foot of Ligue 1 after a run of 10 matches without a victory, but Puel expects their struggles to make them even tougher opponents this weekend.

"We can not talk about a trap game because such an opinion would mean that we think it will be easy at the St Symphorien," he told Nice's official website.

"The group begins to have a bit of experience, I hope, to understand that it will certainly not be the case and that these matches are, however, more difficult to play."

Les Grenats are level on points with Lens at the bottom and a win over Nice could conceivably take them out of the drop zone and as high as 16th.

Puel, whose side sit eighth going into the clash, acknowledged how motivated their hosts will be to halt their slide, adding: "Metz need points, they are not going to release anything and will have a great fighting spirit."

The former Lille and Lyon coach also believes that the current 12-place gap between the two teams matters little.

"The ranking does not mean anything, I have not seen a team that was dropping, the differences are very small," he said.

Nice make the journey to the north east of France without centre-back Kevin Gomis, who will serve a one-match ban after he was sent off against Marseille, but midfielder Lloyd Palun could feature after returning from the African Nations Cup.

Metz will also be missing a key man at the back as Guido Milan is suspended following his red card during their 2-0 defeat at Lyon last week and summer signing Florent Malouda is sidelined with a hamstring injury.