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This Sunday sees Marseille take on Lille in a major Ligue 1 clash at the Stade Velodrome.
Marseille are currently flying high in the league table in third place, while champions Lille are down in 10th.
So can Marseille continue their impressive form, or will Lille show why they were able to win the league title last season?
Marseille vs Lille Head-to-Head
Marseille have been one of Ligue 1’s most impressive sides this season, and it should come as no surprise that they sit behind only Paris St. Germain and Nice in the current league table. They also have a game in hand over the two clubs and are level on points with second-placed Nice.
They’ve lost just three of their opening 19 matches, and right now they’re on a run of one loss in their last 11 games.
Jorge Sampaoli’s men have also started 2022 in impressive fashion, moving into the Coupe de France Round of 16 by dispatching Chauvigny 3-0 and then getting past Bordeaux 1-0 in the league last weekend.
Lille, meanwhile, struggled for form in the early part of the campaign, but the latter stages of 2021 saw them regain some momentum.
Les Dogues have now not lost a game since 29 October and they have won three of the seven games that have followed, including a victory over Bordeaux to end 2021.
This game will mark their first league match of 2022 as last weekend’s showdown with Lorient was postponed.
Recent fixtures between these sides have been largely even, although Lille have won their last two clashes while Marseille last tasted victory in February 2020.
Marseille form guide: W-W-D-W-W
Lille form guide: L-W-W-D-W
Marseille vs Lille Team News
Marseille
Keeper Steve Mandanda is one of four players expected to miss out here with injuries, while two players are away at AFCON.
Injured: Steve Mandanda, Alvaro Gonzalez
Doubtful: Gerson, Arkadiusz Milik
Suspended: None
Unavailable: Pape Gueye, Bamba Dieng
Lille
Lille have just two players unavailable with injuries for this match, with none of their squad away at AFCON.
Injured: Orestis Karnezis, Timothy Weah
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Marseille vs Lille Predicted XI
Marseille predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Pau Lopez (GK), William Saliba, Duje Caleta-Car, Luan Peres, Pol Lirola, Valentin Rongier, Boubacar Kamara, Konrad De La Fuente, Dimitri Payet, Matteo Guendouzi, Cedric Bakambu
Lille predicted XI (4-4-2): Ivo Grbic (GK), Zeki Celik, Jose Fonte, Sven Botman, Reinildo Mandava, Renato Sanches, Xeka, Benjamin Andre, Angel Gomes, Burak Yilmaz, Jonathan David
Marseille vs Lille Prediction
Despite the gap in the table, these sides look relatively well-matched on paper, meaning this should be a very close game to call.
Both sides have the attacking talent to hurt the other and have been in decent form in the league of late. So expect both teams to come in with plenty of confidence.
Therefore, a draw seems to be the most likely result here.
Prediction: Marseille 1-1 Lille
