Marseille Win 5-2 Days Before Liverpool; Slot Favourite Scores

Marseille have shown Liverpool what a threat they will be when the two teams lock horns in the Champions League in midweek, beating Angers 5-2 on Saturday.

The Reds may be unbeaten in their last 12 matches, but little about them feels convincing at the moment.

On Wednesday, Arne Slot‘s side head to the Orange Velodrome for a tough Champions League clash with Marseille, with qualification for the knockout rounds far from a given.

The Ligue 1 giants outlined the threat they will pose with a resounding 5-2 win away to Angers on Saturday, leading 4-1 at half-time.

Igor Paixaowas among the goalscorers for Marseille, with the 25-year-old a player who Slot knows well from their time together at Feyenoord.

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Left winger Paixao played 81 times for the Dutchman, meaning he is the 11th-most-used player in his coaching career to date.

Striker Amine Gouiri, winger Hamed Traore and wing-back Timothy Weah also scored along with disgraced former Man United forward Mason Greenwood.

Marseille’s win leaves them third in Ligue 1, eight points adrift of current leader Lens and seven behind much-fancied Paris Saint-Germain.

For Roberto De Zerbi, it was an ideal evening, with the dominant nature of his side’s win allowing him to rotate ahead of the Liverpool match, which is the penultimate fixture in the group phase.

He changed Marseille’s entire attack on the hour mark, with former Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang among those brought on.

Marseille are in mixed form, however, having thumped amateur side Bayeux 9-0 in the Coupe de France before the Angers game.

Prior to that, they were beaten on penalties by reigning Champions League holders PSG in the Trophee des Champions final, and lost 2-0 at home to Nantes in the league on January 4.

In the Champions LeagueMarseille are 16th and three points behind ninth-placed Liverpool, highlighting the importance of Wednesday’s clash.

Hugo Ekitike is looking forward to it, telling Canal Plus: “I am excited to play this match. Marseille are a club that I have watched since I was young…as well as Paris.

“I love the Velodrome. It is a magnificent stadium with crazy supporters. I think I’ll be welcomed well. There is no hate. I have always liked Marseille.”

Marseille’s last Champions League game was a 3-2 win away to Union SG, with Paixao also scoring that night.

In terms of injuries, Marseille have a clean bill of health, meaning De Zerbi may go with the same starting lineup against Liverpool.

Marseille vs. Angers:Rulli; Murilo, Ballery, Medina; Weah, Nadir 82′), Hojbjerg, Emerson (Merminal 90+1′); Greenwood (Paixao 61′), Gouii.

Subs not used: De Lange, Egan-Riley, Kondogbia, Bakola