The Marseille vs Montpellier match will be played on Friday, January 27th, 2017 at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille. This is matchday 22 of the Ligue 1 2016/17 season. Marseille are 7th with 30 points while Montpellier are 12th with 23 points.

STATS

• Marseille hasn’t beaten Montpellier at home since November 2013 (D1, L1).
• Montpellier has been losing at HT/FT in the last 4 away games.
• Monaco were the first away team in Ligue 1 to win at Marseille since Rennes won 5-2 in March 2016 (W7, D5).
• Montpellier hasn’t won away since beating Reims 3-2 in April 2016 (D4, L8).
• Montpellier has lost their last 4 Ligue 1 away games.

HEAD TO HEAD

The two sides met in Montpellier last November with the home side winning 3-1.

Montpellier has won 3 of the last 6 meetings between the two sides with Marseille winning 2. Of the last 6 played in Marseille, the home side has won 3 games and Montpellier 2.

Head to head matches: Olympique Marseille - Montpellier HSC

04.11.2016	Ligu	Montpellier HSC	Olympique Marseille	3:1
02.02.2016	Ligu	Montpellier HSC	Olympique Marseille	0:1
20.01.2016	Coup	Olympique Marseille	Montpellier HSC	2:0
06.12.2015	Ligu	Olympique Marseille	Montpellier HSC	2:2

MARSEILLE NEWS

Marseille are hitting the headlines in their – so far – vain pursuit of Dmitri Payet. West Ham are refusing to budge on their valuation of £30m but with his family back in France, Payet’s leaving is a case when not if. It won’t be in time for Friday’s match but Patrice Evra is expected to make his Marseille debut against Montpellier.

Rudi Garcia is set to welcome back Vainqueur which means Anguissa will vacate the defensive midfield role and return to the bench. With Cabella and Thauvin on the flanks, Gomis shouldn’t’ struggle in front of goal but the ruthlessness which stands between L’OM and progress was underlined in the 1-4 home defeat to Monaco and 1-3 reverse in Lyon.

Payet’s arrival could add goals to that equation but Garcia is aware that they could slip into mid-table mediocrity as climb to 5th, which is where victory will leave them, albeit briefly.

Missing is Abou Diaby who has sadly swapped the Arsenal treatment room for Marseille’s, as well as Tomas Hubocan. Diarra, Bedimo and Alessandrini are all doubtful while Clinton N’Jie is yet to return from the Africa Cup of Nations.

Latest matches: Olympique Marseille

22.01.2017	Ligu	Olympique Lyon	Olympique Marseille	3:1	L
15.01.2017	Ligu	Olympique Marseille	AS Monaco	1:4	L
08.01.2017	Coup	Toulouse FC	Olympique Marseille	1:2	W
21.12.2016	Ligu	SC Bastia	Olympique Marseille	1:2	W
18.12.2016	Ligu	Olympique Marseille	Lille OSC	2:0	W

MONTPELLIER NEWS

Montpellier are struggling, there’s no other way to describe it. Defeat relegation-threatened Metz sums up how low their form has dropped recently. Away from home, they have the worst record in the division outside of the bottom two and are grateful that their home form isn’t as bad.

On the road, Montpellier has conceded 27 out of their total 34 goals let in this season. It’s baffling how bad they are in these matches. Even the relatively goal-shy Marseille attack will be looking forward to this fixture if this form is maintained.

Defenders Poaty and Congre are missing for Montpellier which hardly helps their cause while the forward line is affected by Ninga’s absence. Algeria’s exit from the Africa Cup of Nations offers the prospect of Ryad Boudebouz being available but whether he is fit to play at such short notice is debatable.

The precarious nature of Montpellier’s position makes it unlikely that he has much choice in the matter. 

Latest matches: Montpellier HSC

21.01.2017	Ligu	FC Metz	Montpellier HSC	2:0	L
14.01.2017	Ligu	Montpellier HSC	Dijon FCO	1:1	D
08.01.2017	Coup	Olympique Lyon	Montpellier HSC	5:0	L
21.12.2016	Ligu	FC Nantes	Montpellier HSC	1:0	L
17.12.2016	Ligu	Montpellier HSC	FC Girondins Bordeaux	4:0	W

SUMMING UP!

After back-to-back defeats against two of the nation’s best sides, Marseille will be looking forward to this match, believing that they will not only get back to winning ways but also turn their -2 goal difference, positive. Six of their last 8 games featured +2.5 goals so they can find the net, as well as conceding.

Not that Montpellier will find goals easy to score. Marseille has kept 10 clean sheets in their 21 Ligue 1 matches so far, including one in the Parc Des Princes. With the form MHSC are in, winning in the Cote d’Azur may be beyond them. A point will feel like a good result for them.