Olympique de Marseille – FC Lorient Saturday at 19:00 CET (1800 GMT)

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The long break for the World Cup has not interrupted a fine run of form for OM. They bounced back from their agonising exit from the UEFA Champions League against Tottenham Hotspur to win their last two games before the season stopped for the tournament in Qatar. Marseille claimed precious victories against great rivals Olympqiue Lyonnais and AS Monaco and have picked up where they left off since the season returned.

Toulouse FC were swept aside in a 6-1 win at the Vélodrome before a 2-1 victory at Montpellier Hérault SC. Tudor’s team then eased past lower-league Hyères in the Coupe de France before Wednesday’s 2-0 win away at ESTAC Troyes, when Chancel Mbemba and Jordan Veretout scored their goals. That result, combined with a defeat for Stade Rennais FC and a draw for Monaco at Lorient, left Marseille five points clear of the chasing pack in third place. With Champions League qualification the aim, that is the lowest position they will settle for at the end of the campaign. But they also ended the midweek round just two points behind RC Lens in second.

Highlights: Marseille ease past Troyes

“It is not a question of how far we can go. We just need to prepare for the next match. The key is to perform well in every game, keep working hard and then we will see where it takes us,” said Tudor after the Troyes victory. “What I like about the players is their mentality, their desire to win, to be serious and focus on the little details. We need to be mentally focused to make sure we don’t slip up. But we still have a long road ahead of us.”

Former Croatian international Tudor has enjoyed a fine start as OM coach, with his team already having notched 39 points. That is one more than Marcelo Bielsa’s side had when they topped the table at the halfway stage in the 2014/15 season. Tudor has won over many of the doubters who wondered whether he was the right man to replace Jorge Sampaoli last summer. The former Champions League winners have not won six successive league games since late 2020 when André Villas-Boas was in charge.

Lorient fading?

Tudor is boosted here as Jonathan Clauss is able to return after missing the last two games with an adductor injury. Dimitri Payet has shaken off a foot problem, but Nuno Tavares and Eric Bailly are both suspended. Meanwhile Ukraine midfielder Ruslan Malinovskyi is set for his first appearance at the Vélodrome after making his debut off the bench against Troyes.

“This is a big city with a rich footballing history. The supporters are great, the stadium is magnificent. I think this is the biggest club in France,” Malinovskyi, signed initially on a loan deal that is set to become a permanent transfer at the end of the season, said as he was officially unveiled on Thursday.

Highlights: Lorient denied at death by Monaco

Lorient come into the weekend in sixth place but they have faded after a strong start to the campaign. They have won just one of their last eight Ligue 1 games, and that was against bottom side Angers SCO. On Wednesday they drew 2-2 at home to Monaco after conceding deep in injury time, although coach Régis Le Bris was not disappointed with his team’s display.

“What I liked was that we were able to compete with a Monaco team who have so much individual quality. We didn’t necessarily expect to be able to compete with teams like that at the start of the season, but now we have shown we can do it,” he said.

Lorient have lost their last six top-flight games against Marseille but are unbeaten in their last six away league outings. They can welcome back on-loan Chrislain Matsima in defence after he was forced to sit out the game against his parent club. Goalkeeper Yvon Mvogo, centre-back Julien Laporte and midfielder Théo Le Bris are all sidelined, however.

Probable teams

Marseille: López; Mbemba, Gigot, Balerdi; Clauss, Rongier, Veretour, Kolasinac; Ünder, Guendouzi; Sánchez

Lorient: Mannone; Kalulu, Matsima, Talbi, Le Goff; Abergel (c), Innocent; Ouattara, Le Fée, Cathline; Moffi

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