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Down in the south of France at Stade Velodrome this weekend, Olympique de Marseille continue what they hope to be a title challenging season against newly-promoted strugglers, Angers.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Friday 4th October, 2024 - UK – 7:45pm / US ET – 2:45pm / US PT – 11:45am
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – Not televised / US – beIN Sports
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – Ligue 1 pass / US – beIN Sports
MARSEILLE PREVIEW: MALEVOLENT MARSEILLE
Former Sassuolo, Shakhtar Donetsk and Brighton and Hove Albion boss Roberto De Zerbi has put together an Olympique de Marseille squad that is full of controversial players that are genuinely talented with the aim for Marseille to win the league title, albeit they will never, and should never, win the hearts and minds of neutrals.
It had been a brilliant start to the season with 13 points collected in their opening five matches but they do come into this one on the back of their first defeat of the season. The hosts suffered a 1-0 loss to Strasbourg in their most recent outing with a winning goal scored by Diego Moreira in the 40th minute.
ANGERS PREVIEW: ANGERS ANGERED
Following promotion to the top-flight of French football last season, Angers were always expected to struggle under the management of Alexandre Dujeux. Les Scoistes do begin the weekend sitting rock-bottom in Ligue 1 and are the only winless team in the whole 18-team division.
The visitors have collected two points and scored just four goals in their opening six matches of the campaign. They come into this one on the back of a 3-1 loss to Stade de Reims at Stade Raymond Kopa last weekend. They were 2-0 down inside 25 minutes before Reims added a third in the 79th minute with Zinedine Ferhat notching a late consolation.
MARSEILLE TEAM NEWS: SEVERAL INJURIES
Players like Pol Lirola have contributed for De Zerbi in recent weeks and there are a few injury concerns for this weekend as they try and make use of every available players.
Bamo Meite is perhaps their biggest absentee but the likes of Quentin Merlin, Valentin Rongier and Cameroonian forward Faris Moumbagna are also frustrating ‘outs’ for the hosts.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Rulli; Murillo, Hojbjerg, Cornelius, Brassier; Kondogbia, Kone; Greenwood, Harit, Henrique; Wahi
UNAVAILABLE: Blanco (Injured), Meite (Injured), Rongier (Injured), Merlin (Injured), Nadir (Injured), Moumbagna (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
ANGERS TEAM NEWS: NO DIENG
Former Marseille forward Bamba Dieng remains unavailable for Angers this weekend and that is a frustration as he has been one of the few bright spots for the visitors thus far.
As well as Dieng, there are a few other absentees for Dujeux to deal with as Joseph Lopy, Jacques Ekomie, Justin-Noel Kalumba and Sidiki Cherif are all unavailable.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Fofana; Arcus, Biumla, Lefort, Hanin; Aholou, Belkelba; Ferhat, Abdelli, Allevinah; Lepaul
UNAVAILABLE: Dieng (Injured), Cherif (Injured), Ekomie (Injured), Kalumba (Injured), Lopy (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
MARSEILLE VS ANGERS PREDICTION
Some performances from Marseille this season have been genuinely exhilarating but they have also thrown in a couple of really ineffective and irritating performances, too. This one, though, simply has to be a comfortable win. If they are to be genuine about sustaining a title challenge then at home to newly-promoted strugglers has to result in a comfortable and dominant display from the hosts.
MARSEILLE VS ANGERS TIP: MARSEILLE TO WIN -1 HANDICAP