Marseille vs Metz Prediction: Hosts to add to Metz’s misery

| February 08 |

3 mins read

Marseille have been struggling for consistency lately, dropping out of the top four in Ligue 1 as a result, but they have a great chance to bounce back to winning ways when they host Metz this Friday.

The visitors have lost their last seven Ligue 1 games and the hosts, managed by Italy legend Gennaro Gattuso, could land a much-needed win at the Stade Velodrome to jump back into the top six.

Marseille vs Metz Prediction

Marseille to win and under 2.5 goals @ 2/1
#PickYourPunt - Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to score, over 5.5 Marseille corners, half-time/full-time Draw/Marseille @ 15/2

Team news

Chancel Mbemba is still away at the Africa Cup of Nations with DR Congo and Bilal Nadir, Amir Murillo and Valentin Rongier are all out with injuries for Marseille, while Jordan Veretout, Ismaila Sarr and Geoffrey Kondogbia are facing a race against time to recover from knocks in time for this fixture.

Metz have no injury concerns and could reintroduce Ablie Jallow into the lineup after his return from AFCON action with Gambia.

Match Odds

Given Metz’s shocking form, it is little surprise to see Marseille as 1/3 favourites, with the draw 4/1 and the visitors a huge 9/1 to take the points.

Net-bulging action is likely to be at a premium so the 4/5 for over 2.5 goals and 5/4 for both teams to score make little appeal, with a Marseille win to nil at 10/11 looking a more sensible play.

Former Arsenal and Chelsea man Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is the 11/4 favourite to open the scoring while Dider Lamkel-Ze, who has scored Metz’s only goal in their last three matches, is perhaps the best play at 12/1 if you expect the visitors to strike first.

Marseille to win and under 2.5 goals @ 2/1

Marseille have struggled for wins lately, drawing three times and losing once in their last four Ligue 1 games, but they had recorded four straight victories prior to their current run and should enjoy more luck against a woefully out-of-form Metz.

Metz have lost seven on the bounce in Ligue 1, scoring just twice in that dreadful run, while they have suffered eight straight defeats in all competitions.

Marseille are unbeaten in their last 10 league home matches as well as in their last eight meetings with Metz, suggesting the hosts should take the points with ease.

However, just one of their last six matches in all competitions have gone over 2.5 goals and another low-scoring affair should be expected.

Four of Metz’s last six losses have been via a 1-0 scoreline, suggesting they can hold their own even when they are failing to get results and, with Marseille unlikely to blow their visitors away, it may be worth backing a home win by that score at 5/1.

#PickYourPunt - Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to score, over 5.5 Marseille corners, half-time/full-time Draw/Marseille @ 15/2

Using our #PickYourPunt feature you can combine three different markets from this fixture and build a mouthwatering 15/2 bet.

The first selection requires Aubameyang to find the net, which he looks very likely to do having scored four goals in his last five home matches in Ligue 1 and facing a side who have conceded 11 times in eight games.

With Marseille set to dominate proceedings, they should get plenty of corners as they attack relentlessly against their struggling opponents. They have earned six or more corners in their last two home games and should match that figure.

Although Metz have not been getting the desired results of late, it seems to be in the second-half where things unravel for the Maroons. They have been level at half-time before going on to lose in four of their last six games and the same scenario should be backed in this contest.