Lorient vs Marseille preview - Morel hoping Marseille can stay top

Posted Tuesday, December 02, 2014 by PA

Marseille coach Marcelo Bielsa is not yet prepared to think about the Ligue 1 title - but full-back Jeremy Morel is hopeful of holding on to top spot.

OM lead the way, a point ahead of rivals and two-time reigning champions Paris St Germain, after 15 games of the season.

And ahead of their clash with Lorient, Morel told L'Equipe: "We are first and we hope to stay first after Tuesday.

"Nothing was established at the beginning of the season. Now, we will not hide, we are the leaders and we want to stay there."

Bielsa was more circumspect and said: "Football offers enough examples where it has finished badly that it is difficult to talk of the title when there are so many games still to go.

"There are 20 teams competing in the league. Not everyone has played the same number of games home and away."

Bielsa has made a habit this season of naming his starting XI during his pre-match press conference, but was unable to do so on this occasion.

"I haven't changed the team because I didn't have injuries or suspensions," he said. "Today it is different.

"I need to wait until after training to have a definitive position on my team. I have lots of doubts, that is why I cannot give any information on Tuesday's team."

What is known is that Andre Ayew and Romain Alessandrini will be absent, with thigh and ankle injuries respectively.

Ayew will therefore miss out on an on-field reunion with his brother Jordan, who is set to lead the Lorient attack and was in typically outspoken mood pre-match.

The younger Ayew brother has taken time to win over fans at the Stade de la Moustoir, though he is Lorient's joint-leading scorer with three goals and contributed a goal and an assist to Saturday's 3-2 win over Toulouse.

"Look at the stats and we'll talk," he told reporters in France. "People can say what they want but for a while I have been involved in all the goals, so there. If I don't score, I make assists.

"I can't do it all myself. Even if you put (Lionel) Messi in this team or the coach (Pep) Guardiola, it wouldn't change anything."