Friday 29/09/2014, 20:30, France Ligue 1, Round 4, Marseille vs Nice
Marseille vs Nice Preview
Even though the two teams have different expectations for this season, with Marseille chasing the title while Nice trying to avoid relegation, this match is extremely important for both. The Derby of the South is highly anticipated by the fans of both teams and dropping points against a big rival is guaranteed to send shockwaves. Marseille has home pitch advantage and a better squad, but the visitors were more consistent in the first three rounds.
Marseille vs Nice Odds
Marseille 1.55, Draw 4.00, Nice 7.35
Marseille vs Nice Tips
Marseille finished the regular season on an uptrend and they carried that momentum in the five friendly games, winning four of them. It looked like they would come out firing on all cylinders and challenge PSG and Monaco for the lead. Unfortunately for them, this didn't happen because opponents scored a combined five goals in the first two games and Marseille had to settle for a single point.
The first victory was claimed on the road at Guingamp, at the end of a game that the visitors dominated without creating too many opportunities to score. The fact that they only used a single striker and six midfielders explains why Marseille was not too dangerous upfront.
Gignac scored the only goal of the match last week and he will play tonight as well, but it is very likely that Ayew will join him instead of playing behind the striker. Marseille has a pretty strong midfield and many of the players frequently joined the forwards in their attempts to score, while being less active defensively.
Nice were extremely aggressive last round against Bordeaux and had better ball possession, while forcing the opponents to commit many faults. They were rather unlucky to allow three goals but the main reason for concern has to do with the fact that the hosts will be without five players. All of them have suffered an injury and are yet to return to fitness, with the midfield being the most affected area.
Key Facts
- Marseille have the better head to head record, but they lost the last three games in a row, each time by a single goal.
- The hosts are at full strength, while Nice will need to replace five players who are mending injuries.
Marseille vs Nice Prediction
Marseille will be inclined to take more chances upfront, knowing that the visitors are without five players but this will only expose them to counterattacks. Nice can be a stringy defensive team when they need to and this is the kind of match where the high number of injured players can be troubling. As far as punters are concerned, even odds for the Nice +1.00 goals wager represents great value, because the stakes are reimbursed if Marseille wins by exactly one goal.
Bet: Nice +1.00 goals @ 2.00 with Pinnacle Sports
