Two teams at opposite ends of the Ligue 1 table are set to collide at the Orange Velodrome on Friday night.
Indeed, third-placed Marseille, who will be aiming to qualify for the UEFA Champions League (UCL) once more come the end of the season, will play host to third-from-bottom Auxerre, who are hoping to avoid relegation down to Ligue 2.
Read our prediction, preview and betting tips for the game below using odds from bet365, and make sure to check out our Today's betting tips page for more of our free expert Ligue 1 predictions!
Contents
Marseille vs Auxerre key stats
- Marseille are unbeaten in five home games after normal time in all competitions (W3, D2).
- Auxerre are on a three-match winless streak (D2, L1).
- Auxerre are the lowest scorers in Ligue 1 (19).
Marseille vs Auxerre preview: Hosts to strengthen UCL hopes?
| Marseille | vs | Auxerre |
|---|---|---|
| 3rd | Position | 16th |
| 46 | Points | 19 |
| 52 | Goals For | 19 |
| 33 | Goals Against | 35 |
| 7 | Clean Sheets | 6 |
| 4th | Home Rank | 16th |
| 3rd | Away Rank | 15th |
As expected given their respective league positions, Marseille dominate every relevant metric between the two sides.
Aside from the league standings and points difference between them, one stat that particularly jumps out is the goals scored.
10/11 of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's goals for Marseille have been scored after HT.
Indeed, Marseille have netted a whopping 33 goals more than Auxerre, and their tally of 52 in total is only second behind league leaders Paris Saint-Germain, while Auxerre's total of 19 is the lowest in the division.
However, while the hosts dominate the attacking numbers, defensively they are only marginally better than their opponents.
Indeed, Marseille have only conceded two fewer goals than Auxerre and kept just one more clean sheet, which may give the visitors a little encouragement.
Another thing to note is that both teams rank slightly better away from home than on home soil, which again should give some hope to Auxerre.
Auxerre have scored five goals in their last two away games.
However, Marseille's attacking superiority should give them the advantage here, as well as playing in front of their home fans.
Thus, the most likely outcome here would be a home win, with perhaps only the margin of victory a slight debate.
Marseille vs Auxerre form guide & betting tips
| Marseille | vs | Auxerre |
|---|---|---|
| D-L-W-L-W | Form | D-W-L-D-D |
| 7 | Points | 6 |
| 8th | Form Table | 11th |
| 6 | Goals For | 5 |
| 11 | Goals Against | 6 |
Best bookie to bet on Newcastle vs Barcelona – bet365
If you’re looking for the best bookie to bet on this game, bet365 is a great choice. They have a huge selection of markets and highly competitive odds for football matches.
Furthermore, you can claim a special welcome offer if you use our promo code to sign up at bet365 and get £30 in Free Bets once you place your first bet of at least £10.
Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. Registration required.
Whispers predicts: Marseille 3-1 Auxerre
It is not a surprise to see Marseille installed as heavy 9/20 favourites with bet365 to beat Auxerre, but these odds are simply too short for us to take on.
The narrative that the visitors have struggled to score all season, on top of top-scorer Lassine Sinayoko being suspended, suggests going against Both Teams To Score (BTTS) could be a viable option at 10/11.
However, BTTS - Yes is the same price, and with Marseille's struggles defensively recently, as well as their patchy form at best, we are happy to back the other side of the coin.
The hosts boast a formidable attack too though, and so we are expecting plenty of goals in total - over 3.5 could yield a tidy profit at 7/4.
In terms of a more ambitious bet, we are also happy to explore the goalscorer market for Marseille, as they have so many great attackers at their disposal.
One is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, whose previous three goals have interestingly been netted within the last 10 minutes of matches.
Taking this into account, we think backing the Gabon striker to score the last goal of the game at 9/2 is worth a punt.
> BTTS - Yes at 10/11 | Likelihood: Probable
> Over 3.5 goals at 7/4 | Likelihood: Possible
> Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to score last at 9/2 | Likelihood: Outsider