Gouiri starts, Weah and Hojbjerg absent: OM makeshift for Troyes trip

Second-to-last in Ligue 1 with just three points from six matches, Olympique de Marseille travel to Troyes on Sunday evening to close out matchday 6. A defeat or draw would plunge the Phocaean club deeper into crisis, and Bruno Genesio will have to make do with a squad missing several key players.

Captain Timothy Weah is suspended, while Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg left his national team with an injury and will not be available. Two significant absences that force the Marseille manager to reshape his midfield and defence.

The main piece of good news concerns Amine Gouiri. Injured in the thigh during Algeria’s international break, the striker is expected in the squad and even set to start up front. Igor Paixao on the left and Keyliane Abdallah on the right should accompany him from the start, with Angel Gomes in support through the middle.

In midfield, Tochukwu Nnadi and Himad Abdelli are expected to form the defensive pairing. In defence, Kelyann Bezahaf, C.J. Egan-Riley, Nayef Aguerd and Emerson Palmieri are tipped to play in front of Jeffrey de Lange in goal.

For Troyes, the home side would rely on a four-man defence with Beach in goal, and an attacking trio made up of Ifnaoui, Le Douaron and Picard.

Probable lineups

Troyes: Beach – Maronnier, Monfray, Diaz, Donkor – Mille, Diop, Karim – Ifnaoui, Le Douaron, Picard.

Marseille: De Lange – Bezahaf, Egan-Riley, Aguerd, Emerson – Abdelli, Nnadi – Abdallah, Gomes, Paixao – Gouiri.