Ligue 1 defensive specialists Nice endeavour to maintain a position on the podium when Toulouse head to the Allianz Riviera on Sunday lunchtime.
Les Aiglons continued their astonishing run of shut-outs by drawing 0-0 with Montpellier HSC last time out, while their visitors held out for a 1-1 stalemate at Lille.
Match preview
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Rearguard excellence for the men in red and black is nothing new, as Christophe Galtier oversaw a string of dogged defensive displays during his only season in charge of Nice in 2021-22, and Francesco Farioli's staunch performers are by far and away the toughest nut to crack in the division this time around too.
Lady luck was partially responsible for their one point at Montpellier before the international break, though, as La Paillade struck the post either side of the half-time whistle, and Les Aiglons did little to truly test the gloves of Benjamin Lecomte at the other end of the field.
Nevertheless, that lacklustre stalemate ensured that Nice would head into the November hiatus at the only French top-flight side still with their unbeaten record intact this term, and second place in the table is theirs before leaders Paris Saint-Germain - who are only one point better off - return to action on Friday versus Monaco, who are two points behind Farioli's men in third place.
Les Aiglons could therefore be demoted to the bronze medal position by the time Sunday rolls around, but a draw on Friday night would present them with the opportunity to rise to the summit against Toulouse, against whom they will seek a remarkable eighth successive Ligue 1 clean sheet.
A new page of French football history could also be written, as Nice are yet to trail in a match after 12 gameweeks this season; since data has been available from 1947-48, only the 1984-85 Bordeaux crop have also managed to go 12 games without falling behind, and Les Girondins went on to win the title that year.
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The omens are certainly promising for Nice in that regard, while in contrast, Toulouse fell behind to Lille when they took on Les Dogues at their Stade Pierre-Mauroy fortress, but Carles Martinez's men also gleaned a point from their most recent affair, which was a tale of two headers.
Highly-rated teenage centre-back Leny Yoro deftly guided Edon Zhegrova's delivery into the bottom corner to break the deadlock in the first half, but ahead of his Netherlands debut in their 6-0 Euro 2024 qualifying thrashing of Gibraltar, Thijs Dallinga also rose highest in the same penalty area to peg Lille back.
A low-scoring stalemate domestically was a slight reality check for Toulouse, who had stunned Liverpool 3-2 in the Europa League three days before heading to the Stade Pierre-Mauroy, although back-to-back games without defeat was a welcome sight after three successive losses to the Reds, Montpellier and Le Havre.
Continental fatigue has played its part in the Coupe de France holders' current predicament, as they lie 15th in the standings - only a point better off than Lorient in the relegation playoff place - while they are also at risk of being caught by 17th-placed Clermont, who have a three-point chasm to make up.
While Nice have clean sheets to boast from each of their last seven affairs, Toulouse have coincidentally gone the same number of games without recording a shut-out and are winless in five matches versus Les Aiglons, although both meetings last year ended with the two sides shaking hands on a point apiece.
Team News
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The naughty step at the Allianz Riviera is well-occupied at present, as midfielder Youssouf Ndayishimiye will serve the second of a two-game ban for his sending-off against Rennes on November 5, while Hicham Boudaoui cannot feature on account of a totting-up of yellow cards.
Algerian defender Youcef Atal also remains in exile over his controversial Instagram post relating to the Israel-Palestine conflict; Pablo Rosario filled in at right-back against Montpellier, but with the Dutchman potentially being required to step in for Boudaoui in midfield, Jordan Lotomba should now return to the backline.
Nice have fewer injury concerns than suspension worries to factor in for Sunday's game, as only Alexis Claude-Maurice (calf) is in the infirmary, and Farioli will certainly consider attacking recalls for Gaetan Laborde and Sofiane Diop for the visit of Toulouse.
Farioli and Martinez can empathise when it comes to fresh suspension setbacks, as seven-goal striker Dallinga and German midfielder Niklas Schmidt are also banned for this game due to an accumulation of bookings, although the latter missed the stalemate with Lille anyway.
The returning Frank Magri - who was coincidentally banned against Lille - should be a straight swap for Dallinga at the tip of the Violets attack, while Cristian Casseres Jr's spot in the engine room is safe owing to Schmidt's sanction, unless the Venezuela international needs more time to recover from his international exploits.
Denis Genreau (back), Zakaria Aboukhlal (back) and Oliver Zanden (hip) are not expected to return from their afflictions until next month, but left-back Gabriel Suazo is back from his own suspension.
Nice possible starting lineup:
Bulka; Lotomba, Todibo, Dante, Bard; Rosario, Thuram, Sanson; Laborde, Moffi, Boga
Toulouse possible starting lineup:
Restes; Desler, Costa, Nicolaisen, Suazo; Casseres Jr, Spierings; Donnum, Sierro, Gelabert; Magri
We say: Nice 1-0 Toulouse
Forced to work without the suspended Dallinga and injured Aboukhlal, Toulouse's chances of breaching a near-impenetrable Nice backline are wafer-thin, and Martinez's men could learn a thing or two about rearguard mastery from their upcoming opponents.
For all of the hosts' remarkable work at the back, 13 goals at the correct end of the field is still the worst record in the top four, so only a solitary strike may separate the sides on Sunday as Nice extend their unbeaten record.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Ben Knapton
