Marseille will aim to kick off the 2022-23 Ligue 1 season with back-to-back wins when they travel to the Stade Francis Le-Ble to take on Brest on Sunday evening.
Igor Tudor's side ran out 4-1 winners over Reims on the opening day of the season, while Les Pirates' efforts were in vain during a 3-2 loss to Lens.
Match preview
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Attempting to channel the spirits of Liverpool's 2005 Champions League luminaries, Brest came so close yet to so far to rescuing a memorable draw against Lens after a Florian Sotoca hat-trick had put Les Sang et Or three goals to the good last weekend.
Haris Belkebla's effort deflected into the back of the net off of the head of Kevin Danso barely a minute after Sotoca's third before Romain Del Castillo reduced the deficit further from the spot, but it was not to be for Michel Der Zakarian's side.
Such a never-say-die attitude will certainly serve Les Pirates well for the upcoming months as Der Zakarian works to improve the consistency of one of the league's resident inconsistent teams, who have now suffered four straight defeats in the top flight.
However, Brest have at least managed to score twice in each of their last three defeats, demonstrating that the final third is not where the root of their problems lie, but Marseille know a thing or two about exposing defensive frailties.
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There has been a consistent link with Arsenal during the past few months at the Orange Velodrome, from William Saliba and Matteo Guendouzi to Sead Kolasinac, and it was no different last Sunday in a 4-1 romping of Reims.
The pick of the goals belonged to Gunners loanee Nuno Tavares, who cut inside and fired home on his right foot from outside the area after a Wout Faes own goal had put Les Olympiens in the ascendancy, and the Colombian Luis Suarez then added a double for himself off the bench.
Folarin Balogun - another Arsenal man to cross the channel this summer - came up with a consolation goal for Reims, but it was Marseille's day to celebrate after a difficult week for Igor Tudor, with reports alleging that numerous members of the Marseille squad have been dissatisfied with his training methods.
Kicking off proceedings with such a dominant win in front of the home crowd was the perfect tonic to such discontent, as well as bringing in another ex-Arsenal forward in Alexis Sanchez following the termination of his contract with Inter Milan.
Coincidentally, 4-1 was also the scoreline when Brest and Marseille last locked horns as Les Olympiens ran out convincing winners at the Stade Francis Le-Ble in March, but Der Zakarian's side did claim a shock 2-1 success on the Orange Velodrome turf last year.
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Team News
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Noah Fadiga's debut for Brest ended in dismay last weekend as he lasted just 40 minutes before spraining his ankle at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis, so Jean-Kevin Duverne should start at right-back on Sunday.
On the other side of the backline, Jere Uronen is still working his way back from a calf problem and was one of two absentees for the Lens defeat alongside Steve Mounie, whose heel is giving him some trouble.
Del Castillo has put his name in the hat for a start this weekend after coming off the bench to lash home from the spot at the second time of asking against Lens - his first effort was saved but chalked off due to encroachment - so Youcef Belaili's spot may be at risk here.
Meanwhile, any debut for Marseille new boy Sanchez this week is likely to come from the bench, but Suarez has surely done enough to force his way into the first XI over Arkadiusz Milik.
Duje Caleta-Car and Pape Gueye will both be at Tudor's disposal after serving suspensions on matchday one, and the former could displace Leonardo Balerdi, who did not cover himself in glory for Balogun's goal last weekend.
Tudor also ruffled a few feathers by leaving Dimitri Payet out of the starting lineup against Reims, but it was a move that paid dividends for the Olympiens coach, who also handed Jordan Veretout his competitive debut off the bench.
Goalkeeper Pau Lopez should be Marseille's only injury absentee with a groin issue, as Ruben Blanco earns another opportunity to impress in between the sticks.
Brest possible starting lineup:
Bizot; Duverne, Herelle, Chardonnet, Brassier; Del Castillo, Belkebla, Lees-Melou, Honorat; Cardona, Pereira Lage
Marseille possible starting lineup:
Blanco; Mbemba, Caleta-Car, Gigot; Clauss, Guendouzi, Rongier, Tavares; Payet, Gerson; Suarez
We say: Brest 1-3 Marseille
A clash between two sides who simply love to attack has all the makings of an enthralling affair this weekend, unless the footballing gods throw a drab goalless stalemate our way.
Such an eventuality should not occur at the Stade Francis Le-Ble, where a full-strength Marseille side ought to march to their second win of the season in convincing fashion.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Ben Knapton
