Preview : Lyon vs Marseille - Live streaming, lineups & Prediction

SCHEDULE	TIME
GAME	Lyon vs Marseille
DATE	01.02.2022
TIME	15:00 PM (UTC)
VENUE	Parc Olympique Lyonnais (Lyon)
LEAGUE	Ligue 1 - Round 14

Match Preview

◉ Ten weeks after their clash with Marseille was abandoned due to crowd violence, Lyon have not moved a single place in the Ligue 1 table, remaining in the same 11th position that they occupied prior to that uncompleted meeting back in November. Therefore this remains their worst start to a Ligue 1 season (in terms of table position) since 1995/96.

◉ However a victory here could launch them to as high as sixth before their crucial trip to Monaco this coming weekend. An unbeaten home record against current top-half clubs this league season (W3, D1) should give Lyon the confidence they need to record what would be their longest winning streak of this Ligue 1 campaign after winning 1-0 in their previous two games.

◉ Spookily, Marseille are making this midweek trip to Lyon off the back of a five-game unbeaten streak in Ligue 1 football (W3, D2), just as they did prior to the abandoned clash in November (W2, D3). Their impressive third place position should come as no surprise though, considering manager Jorge Sampaoli led Sevilla to fourth in La Liga in his only previous club campaign in Europe.

◉ This time, Marseille bring a league-best five straight away victories - all with clean sheets and four with a half-time lead - into this game. Continuing that would see them go into the weekend back in second place, although to achieve that they’ll have to shirk the curse of not having won at Lyon since 2007/08 (D6, L9 since).

◉ Players to watch: Lyon’s Moussa Dembélé has scored the opener in all five 2021/22 Ligue 1 games in which he’s found the net. Given the events of last time where Marseille’s Dimitri Payet was struck by a bottle leading to the abandonment of this fixture, all eyes will be on Payet who has scored in two of his last three Ligue 1 meetings with Lyon, as well as in two of his last four against all opposition.

◉ Hot streak: The last ten Ligue 1 games involving either club have produced two or fewer total goals, as have eight of Marseille’s last nine Ligue 1 victories.

Lyon starting lineup:

Anthony Lopes,Da Silva,Thiago Mendes,Junior Castello Lukeba,L. Dubois,Bruno Guimarães,M. Caqueret,Henrique,Lucas Paquetá,H. Aouar,M. Dembélé

Marseille starting lineup:

Pau López,Pol Lirola,William Alain André Gabriel Saliba,Ćaleta-Car,Luan Peres,Boubacar Bernard Kamara,M. Guendouzi,C. Ünder,V. Rongier,Luis Henrique,Payet

Prediction

Lyon 0-0 Marseille

Marseille will hope to see their affinity for draws become a thing of the past following the international break, but Sampaoli is under pressure to find the right formula for his side's attacking troubles.

A confidence-depleted Lyon can at least fall back on their solid home record and recent spate of strong results against Marseille, so we expect defences to take centre stage as both sides cancel each other out in a goalless stalemate.