Former Manchester United stars Angel Gomes and Mason Greenwood were both on the scoresheet to fire Marseille back to the summit of Ligue 1 on Saturday in a 3-0 win over Brest. It was a much-needed victory for Roberto De Zerbi's side after a turbulent few weeks, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also on target for the hosts at the Stade Velodrome.
Gomes opens the floodgates
The breakthrough came midway through the first half when Gomes stood over a free-kick just outside the box. The 23-year-old curled a dipping effort that seemed simple enough for Brest goalkeeper Radoslaw Majecki. However, the ball slipped through the keeper’s hands and trickled over the line, to hand the hosts an unlikely lead. Eight minutes later, Marseille’s dominance was rewarded again. A clumsy challenge on Pierre-Emile Højbjerg inside the area gave Greenwood the chance to double the lead from the spot. The English forward was calm and clinical as he sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to score his fifth of the campaign. By the time the clock hit 82 minutes, the result was beyond doubt. Matt O’Riley whipped in a perfect cross from the right, and Aubameyang rose to meet it with a powerful header that left Majecki rooted.
AdvertisementDe Zerbi: 'We played with joy again'
After the final whistle, De Zerbi was visibly relieved. The Italian coach has come under intense scrutiny following a string of frustrating results, including a painful Champions League defeat to Atalanta and a disjointed draw against Angers.
"Against Angers it was more or less the same lineup as against Brest," he said. "I had a lot of fun from the bench, we moved the ball well, played vertically, pressed high, created plenty of goal-scoring chances, and kept up the strong pressing. We also switched formations when Brest changed at halftime. That's my OM a bit. We can play really well like we did in Lisbon. You've found the right madman with me—it doesn't scare me one bit."
Reflecting on the Angers match, he said, "We didn’t play well against Angers and Atalanta. The other matches, we played better, but we got less than we deserved. We were unlucky."
A welcome response to critics
The win couldn’t have come at a better time. Marseille’s stumbles in Europe had sparked talk of a crisis in the French press, with pundits calling for accountability. Jerome Rothen, the outspoken former PSG winger, didn’t hold back earlier this week. Speaking on he blasted both De Zerbi and his players.
"OM's results are ridiculous, that's the reality," he said. "They're struggling and in a group of teams that are currently eliminated and look more like Europa League teams than Champions League teams . Let's call a spade a spade. When you look at De Zerbi's record, it's 10 Champions League matches and one win. That sums it up. Tactically, he doesn't have the tools, he can't find the ingredients and the skills to push OM to be better. He was outmanoeuvred by Juric, the Atalanta coach. There was a casting error."
He further added, "Who recruited and built this team? When you see OM's resources, which are not Atalanta's resources, and you see such a difference in performance and technical execution. In yesterday's match, apart from Greenwood and Rulli, the rest is useless. The players who were there yesterday, who have special statuses and who are highlighted like [Pierre-Emile] Hojbjerg. They highlight that he is an experienced player, but he is an average player! You look at his big matches in the Champions League and you will see that he is nothing."
AFPMarseille back on top in Ligue 1
The win over Brest was Marseille’s eighth in the league this season, pushing them one point clear of Paris Saint-Germain at the summit. However, PSG can reclaim top spot with a win over Lyon on Sunday. And with an international break looming, De Zerbi will finally have time to regroup and recharge his squad. They will be back in action against Nice away from home on November 21 before hosting Newcastle four days later at home in the Champions League.
