Marseille vs Evian Thonon Gaillard preview - Bielsa baffled by inconsistent OM

Marseille coach Marcelo Bielsa is at a loss to explain the contrasting fortunes of his side at home and away ahead of the Ligue 1 meeting with Evian on Saturday.

OM have lost five league games on the road this season, including their last three trips away from the Stade Velodrome against Nice, Montpellier and Monaco.

They are winless away from home in the league since the 2-1 victory over Caen at the start of October last year. In contrast, they have tasted victory in 10 consecutive home league games in the top flight since losing to Montpellier on August 17.

Bielsa has no explanation for the difference in the success of his side at home and away, but hopes to maintain their winning run in the south of France.

"The answer would have been found if the whole team played differently at home and away. From my point of view, we played the same way," Bielsa told the club's official website.

"I always try to find the patterns in the game. I cannot find an argument that explains this difference."

Marseille are currently second in the overall standings despite their inconsistent form and are now four points adrift of leaders Lyon.

Evian, meanwhile, are doing battle at the other end of the table and snapped a six-game winless run with a 1-0 victory over Toulouse last weekend.

That result lifted them out of the bottom three but they are only two points clear.

Evian striker Modou Sougou, who is on loan from Marseille until the end of the season, is a doubt for the match due to an ankle injury but believes his parent club is doing so well due to their consistency in selection.

"I think it's a great team, which is doing well in the championship because they know how to energise the squad and the players remained the same," Sougou said.

"There has not been much change, only in the staff, there is a new way of working that has proven itself."

However, Sougou has noticed a decline in Marseille's form from the earlier part of the season and thinks it could provide an opportunity for Evian.

He added: "Since the beginning of the year, they are not as good as they were early in the season. They are less impressive, so I think that there is something to do there."