Olympique de Marseille 3-1 AS Saint-Étienne

THE MATCH

Marseille welcomed Saint-Étienne to the Orange Vélodrome with just goal-difference separating the ninth-placed hosts from their visitors in seventh, and both sides looked keen to seize the initiative early on. Denis Bouanga tried to take advantage of a Luan Peres mistake inside the first minute, but his shot was blocked by OM captain Steve Mandanda (1'). Valentin Rongier then had a chance at the other end which Mandanda's opposite number, the aptly-named Etienne Green, stopped with his legs (2'). Bouanga tested Marseille once more (21') before the hosts took the lead, Guendouzi getting the break of the ball in the box and steering his first goal for the club inside the near post (23'). Marseille's lead didn't last long, though, with Timothée Kolodziejczak heading Sainté back onto level terms following an Adil Aouchiche corner (32'). Guendouzi has been played in a more advanced role under Jorge Sampaoli than he had been accustomed to at parent club Arsenal, and he nearly sealed his brace minutes later with a shot from range which brushed the outside of the post (39').

Marseille move clear

Marseille restored their advantage minutes after the restart. Rongier reacted quickly after getting the break of the ball in the box to tee up Gerson, and the Brazilian steered his first OM goal high into the Saint-Étienne net from close range (52'). ASSE had a good period of pressure just opast the hour with Bounga forcing a pair of saves from Mandanda, first with a point-blank shot (65') and then with a powerful header from a Wahbi Khazri corner (66'). Their progress was halted moments later, though, Goundouzi making a clever overlapping run when Cenguz Under was in possession to pull the full-back out of position and leave his Turkish teammate with the spacen and time to fine the far bottom corner (68'). The hosts could have pulled even further clear after a quick string of passes from Payet via Under to Luis Henrique at the back post, but he snatched at what might have been the goal of the game and it went wide (72'). Sainté nearly pulled on back when Romain Hamouma beat William Saliba to a cross, but he headed over (80') and it ended 3-1.

THE PLAYER: Matteo Guendouzi

Guendouzi has endured a difficult period since establishing himself as first-choice in Arsenal's midfield between 2018 and 2020, only narrowly escaping relegation whilst on loan in the Bundesliga with Hertha Berlin last term. It is easy to forget the former France under-21 international is still only 22, though, and Sampaoli may just have worked out how to get the best out of him. Guendouzi could easily have had a brace here, and his place in the team looks secure, even if it looks, on initial inspection, to be out of position.

THE STAT: 10

Marseille are undefeated in their last 10 home matches in Ligue 1 Uber Eats. The last time les Phocéens were beaten at the Orange Vélodrome was back in February, when Paris Saint-Germain won 2-0 after goals from Kylian Mbappé and Mauro Icardi.