1 Olympique Marseille vs 1 Angers SCO
Marseille back against newly promoted Angers after 'deserved' defeat.
After a setback against Strasbourg, Olympique Marseille aim to reclaim their momentum against struggling newcomers Angers, who are desperate to escape the bottom of the Ligue 1 table in a crucial Friday night showdown at Stade Vélodrome.
Olympique Marseille
Olympique Marseille are coming off a narrow 1-0 loss to Strasbourg, a result that ended their three-game winning streak. Manager Roberto De Zerbi commented on the performance by saying, "We played a lot of man against man, one versus one; we lost 80% of these duels, so we deserved to lose the match."
De Zerbi emphasized the team's struggles in duels, including aerial ones, which contributed to the defeat. Marseille, currently in 3rd place with 13 points, now trail 2nd place Monaco by just 3 points. They're eager to bounce back this Friday to remain within reach of the top spots.
Marseille's next opponent is newcomers Angers, followed by a trip to Montpellier after the international break. While Marseille have only won one of their four matches against newly promoted sides this season, they could achieve a historical fourth consecutive win over Angers.
The home side has a strong recent record against Angers, winning their last three encounters in all competitions. Additionally, Marseille boast an impressive home form, having lost just once at home this year.
A 4-2-3-1 formation, featuring Elye Wahi in attack, may be expected from De Zerbi for the upcoming match.
Angers SCO
Just like Friday’s opponents, Angers are also coming off the back of a defeat. The visitors lost 3-1 to Reims in front of their own crowd after a late goal from Zinedine Ferhat (84’) failed to inspire a comeback.
Having earned only 2 points, the newcomers are seated at the bottom of the Ligue 1 table, two points shy of the relegation playoff spot. Compared to Marseille at the opposing end of the table, Angers will be looking to lift themselves out of the bottom two at the end of Friday’s fixture.
However, settling into life in the top flight has been more difficult than expected. Angers could fail to win their first seven games of a season in the top flight for the first time since 1965/66.
A 4-2-3-1 formation with Esteban Lepaul in attack is expected. As many as five players, including Bamba Dieng, are ruled out of this weekend’s clash.
Team form
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