Nantes vs Evian Thonon Gaillard preview - Gakpe focused on Evian defeat

Serge Gakpe knows Nantes need to take advantage of a home match against a direct rival when Evian visit in Ligue 1 on Saturday.

Nantes sit 11th in the table but are only four points above Evian in 16th and have won only one of their last eight matches.

Forward Gakpe told fcnantes.com: "This is a very important match against a direct rival for survival. It's a bit 'our league' and against these teams, at home, you need to fill up.

"It's easier to get motivated to play Paris or Marseille. But we need the three points.

"They (Evian) always manage to survive, even at the last minute. We must be careful, do not take the match lightly. Although we won there, it will not be easy."

Nantes' last match ended in a 3-1 defeat by Reims, and they were left counting the cost in more ways than one following Chaker Alhadhur's red card and an injury to captain Olivier Veigneau.

Alhadhur had come on as a substitute for Veigneau and is one of four players suspended along with Lucas Deaux, Jordan Veretout, Papy Djilobodji, while Veigneau and Johan Audel are both sidelined through injury.

Gakpe said: "This game was marked by all these facts that played against us. But in the spirit and desire, we kept what was displayed in recent weeks. We must keep this momentum."

Evian saw a run of three successive wins come to an end with defeat by Monaco last weekend but coach Pascal Dupraz remains upbeat.

He told the club's official website: "There were no psychological scars from the defeat against Monaco. They were superior but we must move on. The players have had a good week. I see good attitudes."