Dimitri Payet leads a host of players looking to come back in for in-form Olympique de Marseille as they welcome promoted AC Ajaccio to the Orange Vélodrome on Saturday evening.

Olympique de Marseille - AC Ajaccio

- Kick-off: 15:00 GMT

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Marseille have been champions and league leaders Paris Saint-Germain's closest challengers so far this season, with last Friday's 3-0 win at Angers SCO meaning they are still yet to taste a league defeat under Igor Tudor.

OM's European form had been more disappointing, though, with defeats to Tottenham Hotspur and Eintracht Frankfurt preceding Tuesday's meeting with Sporting Lisbon in UEFA Champions League Group D.

Hex shaken

But Marseille duly ran out 4-1 winners, with Amine Harit shining with a goal and an assist and Alexis Sanchez bagging his fifth goal from nine games in all competitions since arriving on a free from Inter Milan in the summer.

Leonardo Balerdi was also on target and it was the Argentine who was picked out for special praise by Tudor - himself a former fellow centre-back.

Watch: Highlights of Marseille's 3-0 win at Angers

"I'm reluctant to talk about individuals and Sporting's red card made things easier for us." Tudor reflected after the goals had poured in following visiting 'keeper Adan's 23rd minute sending off.

"But for three or four matches, Balerdi's always been among the best players on the pitch. His quality's beginning to show. He's a very good player performing at an extremely high level. This win gives us confidence and was long overdue."

Balerdi can expect to start on Saturday, then, but with Eric Bailly still chasing match fitness following his loan arrival from Manchester United and Sead Kolasinac suffering an injury in training, Samuel Gigot can expect to join Balerdi and Chancel Mbemba in Tudor's back three.

Chance for Payet?

Payet watched all 90 minutes from the bench on Tuesday, and with Ajaccio rock bottom of the table, there should be significant rotation further forward, however, with Luis Suarez and Gerson among those hoping for starts against Ajaccio.

Jonathan Clauss - who had a hand in all three goals against Angers - pulled his hamstring against Tottenham - and should be replaced on the right flank by Manchester City-owned Issa Kaboré.

Ajaccio begin the day rooted to the foot of the table, 18 places and 19 points worse off than their hosts following last Sunday's 3-1 loss to Clermont Foot 63.

Watch: Highlights of Ajaccio's 3-1 loss to Clermont

Unlike Marseille, whose hectic schedule is the reason for most of their rotation, the Corsicans have been desperately unlucky with injury. Former AS Saint-Étienne star Romain Hamouma has knock while first-choice goalkeeper Benjamin Leroy will once again be replaced by François-Joseph Sollacaro after injuring his head and neck in a collision with Oumar Gonzalez at Stade Brestois 29 two weeks ago.

Pantaloni: 'I thought we'd win'

The Brest game was Ajaccio's only win so far this season, and Tudor's opposite number Olivier Pantaloni was disappointed they couldn't parlay that form into the Clermont game.

"We expected a lot from this match after the victory in Brest," he said. "We'd planned things that weren't realised. Unfortunately, we didn't think clearly and giving up possession cost us dearly. It's a painful defeat because I really thought we'd win this match."

As well as Hamouma and Leroy, Ajaccio are without Qazim Laci and Fernand Mayembo due to a thigh strain and minor knock respectively.

Possible teams

Marseille: Lopez; Mbemba, Gigot, Balerdi; Kaboré, Rongier, Gueye, Tavares; Gerson, Payet; Suarez

Ajaccio: Sollacaro; Alphonse, Avinel, Vidal, Diallo; Bayala, Marchetti, Coutadeur, Cimignani; El Idrissy, Touzghar