Marseille will take their fight for another three league points to Allianz Riviera where they face Nice in the fourth round of the 2022/23 Ligue 1 season.
Venue: Allianz Riviera (Nice)
Key Statistics
Nice have won just one of their last five competitive games.
The hosts have scored just two goals in the league this season.
Nice’s Amine Gouiri has six goal contributions in five matches against Marseille (G4, A2).
Marseille are unbeaten in their last four Ligue 1 games.
They had the best away record in the league last season (W12, D4, L4).
Marseille’s Dimitri Payet is on the hunt for his 100th Ligue 1 goal against his joint-favourite opposition, having scored more top-flight goals against Nice than any other club (seven – tied with Montpellier).
Marseille have received more bookings than their opposition on the day in six of their last seven league matches.
Head to head
Marseille have enjoyed much success against Nice in recent times. The visitors have won seven of their last ten meetings with Nice who have recorded just two wins in that period.
Latest performances in all competitions
Nice: W-L-L-D-D
Marseille: W-D-W-L-D
Nice
After a successful 2021/22 season where they finished in the top five of the Ligue 1 table, Nice were expected to kick on this season to establish themselves as a top three team in the French top-flight.
But after losing their head coach of last season Christophe Galtier to Paris Saint-Germain, things have not gone as smooth as they would have hoped.
The hosts have begun the season without a win in their opening three Ligue 1 matches (D2, L1). Their last outing was an embarrassing 1-0 loss to Clermont–a game that also saw two of their players sent off.
New manager Lucien Favre has a lot of work on his hands as he attempts to get the fans on his side despite an underwhelming start to his second stint as Nice boss.
The Swiss tactician has failed to win any of his first four competitive games in normal time as he needed extra time to secure a win against Maccabi Tel Aviv in a Europa Conference League Qualifier in midweek.
He will hope that getting that first win of the season might be the catalyst needed to get Nice going domestically too. He will also hope that the addition of Nicolas Pepe on loan from Arsenal will also be a big boost for his side who have been toothless in attack this season.
Possible Nice starting line-up
Kasper Schmeichel; Jordan Lotomba, Flavius Daniliuc, Dante, Melvin Bard; Pablo Rosario, Thuram-Ulien; Amine Gouiri, Bilal Brahimi, Calvin Stengs; Andy Delort.
Injured: Kasper Dolberg, Hitcham Bouraoui
Doubtful: None
Suspended: Jean-Clair Todibo, Mario Lemina
Marseille
Despite concerns over his appointment as Marseille coach Igor Tudor has made a decent start to life as Marseille coach.
The Croatian coach oversaw two wins and one draw from his first three league games of the season.
Their last outing was a 2-1 win over Nantes, establishing them as the second best team in Ligue 1 this season, behind the explosive Paris Saint-Germain who sit comfortably atop the league table.
Given Paris Saint-Germain’s status and the level of investment they are expected to bring in, Tudor arrived at the Stade Velodrome with the knowledge that his side were realistically competing for another runners-up spot.
Despite that knowledge, Tudor will be looking to give the pursuit of the title his best shot. But to give them a realistic chance of usurping PSG, they will have to tighten up at the back.
The visitors have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their league games this season. Their lack of solidity at the back may have inspired the arrival of Manchester United centre-back Eric Bailly on a season-long loan. Tudor will now hope that the Ivorian can help his side do better at the back while they also look to fill the void that is left by the departure of forward Arkadiusz Milik who is on his way to Juventus.
Possible Marseille starting line-up
Pau Lopez; Chancel Mbemba, Duje Caleta-Car, Leandro Balerdi; Jonathan Clauss, Valentin Rongier, Jordan Veretout, Nuno Tavares; Matteo Guendouzi, Gerson; Alexis Sanchez.
Injured: Pedro Ruiz
Doubtful: None
Suspended: Samuel Gigot
Prediction
Nice 1-2 Marseille
