Marseille host Monaco in the highlight fixture of the 13th round in Ligue 1. This rivalry rarely fails to reward fans with plenty of goals and the latest stats indicate a similar scenario.
Marseille bounced back from the shocking Auxerre defeat with a convincing win away at Lens. But that win does not change the fact that Les Phoceens have been inconsistent in the last couple of months and almost lost their place among the Top 3.
The hosts have been alternating the wins and defeats for a long time, with their last back-to-back victories dating back to mid-September. And while their attack is as effective as possible, their defence doesn't even deserve a mention.
Marseille conceded at least one goal in eight of their last 10 Ligue 1 fixtures. Keeping clean sheets has not been on the table this season and Monaco are not a team that's going to miss a lot of opportunities.
The Monegasques were the only other team that showed promise this season but their recent performances put them six points behind PSG. Monaco had a bunch of questionable performances in the domestic league but we shouldn't forget that they have to deal with Champions League football too.
Just like Marseille, Monaco conceded in eight of their last 10 fixtures across all competitions, so we should be in for a treat here.
How the bookies view it: Completely level
This is a rare case where the odds are pretty much identical. Bookmakers found it hard to name a favourite and both sides sit at around 13/8 right now. The draw, which appears to be a real possibility, is available at 12/5.
Recent head to head: Best rivalry in France?
Marseille and Monaco produced some of the most entertaining derbies in recent years and this one carries the same promise. Both sides won four of the last 10 H2Hs each, and only two games ended level.
Players to watch: Greenwood at 3/2
Mason Greenwood is thriving in Marseille and is the team's highest-rated player this season. The ex-United star has eight goals in 12 Ligue 1 starts and has played the 3rd most minutes this season. De Zerbi only takes him off when Marseille are comfortably in the lead and this is unlikely to be the case against Monaco. Unless he scores some goals.
Probable line-ups
Marseille: Rulli, Merlin, Cornelius, Balerdi, Lirola, Hojbjerg, Rabiot, Rowe, Harit, Greenwood, Wahi
Monaco: Majecki, Henrique, Kehrer, Singo, Vanderson, Camara, Zakaria, Golovin, Seghir, Akliouche, Embolo
Anything else catch the eye?
This is one of our favourite rivalries because it rarely fails to produce goals. Seven of the last 10 H2Hs ended with over 2.5 goals at full time. Eight of the last 10 H2Hs ended with both teams scoring at least one goal. The two games last season produced a 2-2 and a 3-2.
With Marseille being quite abysmal at home and Monaco being tired of yet another mid-week Champions League fixture, we expect a more open game with plenty of chances. We will pick both BTTS and Over 2.5 goals separately. As for the three points, we like Monaco's chances here, although we wouldn't risk adding this match to any accumulators.
This French Ligue 1 match between Marseille and Monaco will be played on Dec 1, 2024 and kick off at 19:45. Check below for our tipsters best Marseille vs Monaco prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
