Marseille vs Lille – Preview, H2H, Line-ups, Prediction | Ligue 1 2021-22

MATTEO GUENDOUZI of Marseille against Saint Etienne
MATTEO GUENDOUZI of Marseille against Saint Etienne - IMAGO / PanoramiC

Marseille will welcome Lille to the Stade Vélodrome this Sunday for a huge Ligue 1 clash.

Venue: Stade Vélodrome 

Key Statistics

Marseille have the best defence in the league this season having conceded only 15 goals after 19 games.

They have kept a clean sheet in 53% of their games (a league record this season).

The hosts have scored in each of their last ten games.

They are unbeaten in six games (W5, D1).

Lille have scored 26 and conceded 26 times in the league this season.

The defending champions have failed to keep a clean sheet in 14 away games this season. 

Their last away clean sheet came in a 3-0 away win at Lens last season.

Head to head

Marseille have been dominant in this fixture recently, winning eight of the last 15 meetings between both teams. Lille have four wins in that period (D3), winning the last two meetings.

Latest performances in all competitions

Marseille: W-W-D-W-W

Lille: L-W-W-D-W

Marseille 

After a shaky start to the season, Marseille have finally found their footing and come into this tie sitting in third place.

The hosts have won five of their last six games in all competitions and have conceded the least number of goals over the last five league games (three, level with PSG and Montpellier).

With just three losses this season, they look primed for a top-three finish. Their placement on the table is largely due to a mean defence that has conceded just 25 goals this season, which is their best record in the league after 19 games since 1998/99. 

However, in a season of many goals in the top flight, Marseille are one of the two sides with less than 30 among the current top eight. They are also one of just two sides across Europe’s top-five leagues yet to score during that period ahead of this weekend.

Possible Marseille starting line-ups

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.

Injured: Steve Mandanda, Alvaro Gonzalez

Doubtful: Gerson, Arkadiusz Milik

Suspended: None

Unavailable (AFCON): Pape Gueye, Bamba Dieng

Lille  

After seeing their game with Lorient postponed due to a Covid-19 outbreak, Lillie will return to the action this Sunday to play their first Ligue 1 match of the year.

The visitors were last in action in the Coupe de France against Lens on January 4th, a match they lost on penalties after playing a 2-2 draw in normal time.

But the loss aside, the reigning Ligue 1 champions ended 2021 unbeaten in 11 games across all tournaments. They have taken ten points from the last available 12 and come into this tie in good shape.

However, despite being without a league defeat since October, Jocelyn Gourvennec’s side are currently sitting in tenth place, a distant 19 points behind PSG who are sitting on top of the league.

Although they can forget about any lingering hopes of back-to-back titles, they can still qualify for European football next season as they sit only three points behind fourth-placed Rennes. 

A win in this game will push them closer to the top four, while a loss will be detrimental to their chances of European football.

Possible Lille starting line-ups

Ivo Grbic (GK), Zeki Celik, Jose Fonte, Sven Botman, Reinaldo Mandava, Renato Sanches, Xeka, Benjamin Andre, Angel Gomes, Burak Yilmaz, Jonathan David.

Injured: Orestis Karnezis, Timothy Weah

Doubtful: None

Suspended: None

Prediction 

Marseille 2-2 Lille