Marseille will be looking to keep their top-two ambitions alive when they welcome already-relegated Angers to Stade Orange Velodrome on Sunday night in Ligue 1.

Les Olympiens lost their crunch clash with Lens last time out, while Angers suffered their fourth-straight defeat at home to top-four hopefuls Monaco.

Match preview

Marseille's eight-game unbeaten run came to an unwanted end last weekend after they lost 2-1 at Stade Bollaert-Delelis against Lens - a result which allowed Franck Haise's men to leapfrog them into second.

Goals from Seko Fofana and Lois Openda put the hosts into a commanding lead after 60 minutes, and despite a late strike from Dimitri Payet, the visitors were unable to prevent their first defeat since late February.

Igor Tudor's side sit third in the Ligue 1 standings with a quartet of matches left to play, two points behind Les Sang et Or and eights points behind league leaders Paris Saint-Germain.

Former Arsenal and Manchester United man Alexis Sanchez has found a loving home in the south of France this season, with the 34-year-old Chilean scoring 13 times in the league to date - his highest tally since his 2016-17 campaign at the Emirates.

Marseille have an impressive recent record against Angers on home soil, with Les Olympiens' last defeat on familiar territory versus Sunday's opponents coming all the way back in September 2015.

Angers's eight-year stay at the top table of French football is reaching its final stages after a dismal season in Ligue 1, with their 4-2 loss against Rennes at the end of April confirming their relegation to Ligue 2.

The Black and Whites were unable to avoid another loss last time out after goals from Aleksandr Golovin and Myron Boadu gave Monaco a two-goal lead at Stade Raymond-Kopa, with Abdallah Sima's effort only proving to be a consolation.

Alexandre Dujeux has failed to guide his men off the bottom of the Ligue 1 standings since taking charge in the middle of March - Angers are eight points behind 19th-placed Troyes with just 12 points left to fight for.

Having collected a mere five points from 16 away league matches, visiting supporters at Stade Orange Velodrome will hope their side can earn a first maximum on the road since their shock victory at Nice in September.

With the club handed a transfer ban by FIFA for the next two seasons and 16 players leaving this summer at the end of their contracts, Angers could find themselves in real difficulty as they attempt to escape Ligue 2 next term.

Team News

Marseille have suffered without the presence of midfielder Amine Harit for the majority of this term, with the Moroccan picking up a season-ending cruciate ligament injury back in November - one which kept him out of the World Cup.

Azzedine Ounahi was able to impress in Qatar on the biggest stage before breaking his toe for Les Olympiens in March - the 23-year-old will not feature again this campaign.

Angers' medical room is one of the busiest in the division, with forwards Amine Salama and Lois Diony both unlikely to play again this term due to groin and cruciate ligament injuries respectively.

Centre-back Cedric Hountondji is suspended for the trip to Marseille on Sunday night - the Benin international has struggled in his first season back in Ligue 1 since 2014.

Marseille possible starting lineup:
Lopez; Mbemba, Balerdi, Kolasinac; Clauss, Rongier, Veretout, Tavares; Under, Malinovskyi, Sanchez

Angers possible starting lineup:
Bernardoni; Thioub, Valery, Sabanovic, Bamba, Kalumba; Abdelli, Mendy, Bentaleb; Bahoya, Niane

We say: Marseille 3-1 Angers

Marseille suffered a major setback in their hunt for a top-two finish last time out, but they should be confident of easing past an Angers outfit who are in turmoil on and off the pitch.

Angers have been competitive in their last six matches - scoring in each - but we envisage another defeat for the visitors at Stade Orange Velodrome on Sunday.


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