Marseille seek to maintain their undefeated Ligue 1 run over Montpellier HSC when both sides battle at Stade Velodrome in gameweek 23's final game on Sunday.
Jean-Louis Gasset has replaced Gennaro Gattuso after Les Olympiens' winless start to 2024, while their opponents aim to win back-to-back league games for the first time in 2023-24.
Match preview
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Gasset was not out of a job for long, having been sacked by Ivory Coast midway through the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, a competition the Elephants won after appointing Emerse Fae.
Replacing Gattuso, who could not mastermind a win in the New Year, the 70-year-old becomes the third managerial hire of the campaign for a side that have blown hot and cold all season.
Marseille are one of three teams, along with Strasbourg and Metz, yet to be victorious in a league game in 2024, and the home side's six-game run without securing maximum points is the club's longest since failing to win seven in January-February 2021.
Be that as it may, Les Olympiens are the only side in Ligue 1 yet to taste a home defeat, even if three straight draws against Strasbourg (1-1), Monaco (2-2) and struggling Metz (1-1) have seen them lose their standing as the league's best home side.
Having masterminded a 3-1 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk in the Europa League playoff round on Thursday, Gasset hopes for more of the same on his league debut for the historic club.
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The away side may have an awful 10-game winless streak against Marseille, but Montpellier hope to end that wretched run in Sunday's game at Stade Velodrome.
If this season's pattern points to Sunday's outcome, then Michel Der Zakarian's men are not expected to secure maximum points, having gone the whole season without consecutive victories in Ligue 1.
MHSC beat second-bottom Metz in their last game 3-0, but playing Marseille is a different kettle of fish, even if the hosts are unrecognisable these days.
Losing five of their recent six road games further adds to the doubts surrounding Montpellier, whose 10 away points outdo just Clermont (nine), Lorient (nine) and Sunday's opponents (seven).
Their inability to turn potential losses into draws means Montpellier are battling for their lives in Ligue 1, as 22 points put them level with Lorient and Nantes, the latter occupying the relegation playoff spot heading into the campaign's concluding months.
Team News
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Jonathan Clauss is suspended after accumulating cards, while Amir Murillo (muscle), Valentin Rongier (knee) and Bilal Nadir (ACL) are missing on Sunday.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was on fire on Thursday, and the erstwhile Arsenal man should lead the attack for Marseille.
Axel Gueguin is out for the season with an ACL injury, while Christopher Julien's foot injury should keep him out until March.
Despite not scoring in Ligue 1 since October, no Montpellier player has matched or surpassed Akor Adams's seven league strikes.
Marseille possible starting lineup:
Lopez; Merlin, Mbemba, Balerdi, Garcia; Ounahi, Gueye, Onana; Sarr, Moumbagna, Aubameyang
Montpellier HSC possible starting lineup:
Lecomte; Omergaic, Jullien, Sagnan; Hefti, Sylla, Ferri, Chotard, Savanier; Nordin, Tamari
We say: Marseille 3-1 Montpellier HSC
Gasset's men should reward their new manager with maximum points against an inconsistent Montpellier side.
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