Sticks and carrots will be in Strasbourg's minds as they continue their bid to escape the relegation zone with a home match with Nantes.

The carrot is a potentially juicy one as victory over Les Canaris and a failure to win for Troyes in their relegation battle with Metz would see the Alsatians climb out of the bottom three.

However, while defeat would be painful in any circumstances the stick would leave a considerably more painful imprint on Jacky Dugueperoux's side if Troyes were also to beat Metz.

It would mean Troyes would pull five points clear of Strasbourg who would have just four matches left to overhaul them.

Last weekend Strasbourg could have climbed out of the bottom three with Troyes defeated by Lyon but their own 3-1 reverse at the hands of Nice ensured the status quo was preserved.

Strasbourg coach Jacky Dugueperoux told club website www.rcstrasbourg.fr that he was stressing the importance of getting out of the relegation zone as soon as possible.

He said: "If it has to be done, it's better that we do it sooner rather than later. Given that we finish the season with tough away matches at Marseille and Auxerre who are in Champions League contention. So we can not bank on them easing up."

Yacine Abdessadki and Ahmed "Abou" Moslem have recovered from their respective injuries and are available to face Nantes. Midfielder Ulrich Le Pen (calf) is sidelined but Tunisian striker Haykel Gmamdia has recovered from a shoulder injury.

Nantes are all but safe from relegation but Serge Le Dizet, who will take 17 players to Alsace, has urged his team to claim the three points that could make that mathematically certain of survival.

Le Dizet is refusing to declare that his team are already safe, telling www.fcna.fr: "It's difficult to name a figure but 40 points should be enough. For the moment nothing has been achieved.

"All the teams below us have important matches this weekend which could relaunch them."

At least Nantes, who have 38 points, are in better shape than last season where only victory in their final match saved them from the drop.