Lille vs Marseille preview, prediction, team news and head-to-head

Both teams are coming off dramatic finishes in their previous outings. Lille snatched a 1-0 victory over Le Havre with a goal just two minutes from time, while Marseille were held to a 2-2 draw by Toulouse after conceding a late equalizer in stoppage time.

Lille have made a habit of scoring late, a trend that continued last weekend. Their victory was the third in their previous four league matches, highlighting excellent resilience by Bruno Genesio's men.

A remarkable 14 of their league goals this season have come in the final 10 minutes, with four of those being late match-winners.

A win for Lille on Friday would see them temporarily draw level on points with third-placed Marseille. Their form at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy has been formidable, where they are unbeaten in their last four league games, outscoring opponents 12-4.

For Marseille, last Saturday's draw was a significant setback, costing them a chance to reclaim the top spot in the league. It highlighted a recurring issue for Roberto De Zerbi's side, who have now dropped five points this season due to goals conceded in stoppage time.

Despite the late disappointment, Les Phocéens are on a four-match unbeaten run across all competitions. A victory would propel them, at least temporarily, to the top of the Ligue 1 table.

Lille have dominated this fixture of late, going unbeaten in ten of the last 11 H2Hs (W5, D5, L1), while they’ve also won four of the last five Ligue 1 meetings they hosted (D1). 

Lille are expected to be without several players. Brazilian defender Alexsandro is nearing a return from a leg issue but is unlikely to feature. Ousmane Toure is sidelined with a cruciate ligament tear, Marc-Aurele Caillard has an elbow injury, and Ayyoub Bouaddi is suspended.

Marseille will likely be missing Michael Murillo and Hamed Traore due to leg injuries. Facundo Medina is still recovering from an ankle sprain, and Amine Gouiri's participation is doubtful because of a back problem.

Lille: Ozer; Meunier, Ngoy, Mandi, Perraud; Bentaleb; Andre, Mukau; Correia, Giroud, Haraldsson

Marseille: Rulli; Weah, Pavard, Egan-Riley, Palmieri; Nadir, Hojbjerg; Greenwood, Gomes, Paixao; Aubameyang

With three of the last four league meetings between these sides ending in a draw, another tight contest is expected. Both teams are acutely aware of the other's attacking threat, which could lead to a more cautious and tactical battle, and we are backing a draw.

• Aubameyang to score anytime

• Over 2.5 goals