Newcastle will look to make it four straight wins in the Champions League and take a huge step towards the knockout rounds as they face Marseille.
Match Preview for Marseille v Newcastle
Eddie Howe is confident Newcastle United can rise to the challenge of taking all three points from a difficult Champions League fixture against Marseille.
Newcastle made the trip to the south of France on a high after stunning Manchester City 2-1 on Saturday to get back to winning ways in the Premier League.
Now they face a quick turnaround and a huge test on the road at the Stade Velodrome, where they will have to thrive amid one of the most intimidating atmospheres in European football.
Having taken nine points from their opening four games, their only defeat a narrow home loss to Barcelona, Newcastle are in an excellent position to progress to the knockout rounds and would strengthen their grip on a top-eight spot with victory.
Marseille are only two points behind Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1 and thrashed Nice 5-1 on Friday.
But their Champions League form has been less impressive, with Roberto De Zerbi’s side securing just the one win so far, beating Ajax 4-0.
And Howe has belief Newcastle have what it takes to come through this latest test and take a huge step towards progression by dealing the hosts another defeat.
“I’ve said many times this season, trusting the squad is very important, we have some very good players who are desperate to play,” Howe told his pre-match press conference. “We have the depth to play all these games, every game is different, the challenge is different, certain games suit certain players. We want to win the game.”
“We have travelled early; we will train at the stadium. Tomorrow our preparation will be slightly different. The most important decision is how we play. The midfield battle will be key for us; we need to do well technically with the ball. This will be a really tough game for us, but we feel we can rise to the challenge.
“We are in the thick of the Champions League, we have to try and win each game. It’s a nice stadium, I am sure the atmosphere will be red hot, we need to make sure we use that to make our performance stronger.”
Former Brighton and Hove Albion manager De Zerbi also believes the crowd will have a big role to play.
“They [Newcastle] are a strong, physical team with a very good coach. It will be a difficult game. It won’t be a decisive game because last year we saw that it went down to the last few games,” De Zerbi said.
“We don’t have enough points, we need points. There are four games left, we can get points anywhere. Newcastle are strong, but so are we, and we’re playing at home.
“At the Velodrome, it’s a special place. Every match is a final, it will be a difficult match, we need points. We want to win this match like all the others.”
Team news for Marseille v Newcastle
Kieran Trippier has not made the trip to Marseille because of the knock that kept him out of Newcastle’s win over City.
However, Anthony Gordon (hip) has travelled as has Emil Krafth, indicating both will return to the matchday squad.
Yoane Wissa (knee) is still not ready to make his debut, and Will Osula (ankle) remains unavailable.
Dan Burn could return to the back four after missing the City game through suspension.
Nayef Aguerd misses out for Marseille with a groin problem.
Hamed Traore and Amir Murillo (dead legs) are doubts, but Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is set to return after being rested against Nice.
Facundo Medina is out with an unspecified injury, and Amine Gouiri (shoulder) is still unavailable.
Predicted line-ups for Marseille v Newcastle
Marseille: Rulli; Weah, Pavard, Balerdi, Emerson; Kondogbia, Hojbjerg; Greenwood, Gomes, Paixao; Aubameyang.
Newcastle: Pope; Livramento, Thiaw, Burn, Hall; Tonali, Guimaraes, Ramsey; Elanga, Woltemade, Gordon.
How to watch Marseille v Newcastle: TV and online stream
Marseille v Newcastle kicks off at 8pm UK time on Tuesday. It will be broadcast on TNT Sports 2.
It can be streamed via Discovery Plus and, for Sky customers with a TNT package, on Sky Go.
Stats for Marseille v Newcastle
- Marseille and Newcastle’s only previous meetings in Europe came in the 2003-04 campaign, with the French side going unbeaten home (2-0) and away (0-0) versus the Magpies in the UEFA Cup semi-finals.
- This will be the ninth time that Newcastle have faced a French side away from home in European competition, their only victory from the previous eight (D3 L4) coming at Sochaux in the UEFA Cup in November 2004 (4-0).
- Marseille are winless in their last 12 games against English sides in Europe (D3 L9), with their last such victory coming against Chelsea in December 2010 (1-0 in the UEFA Champions League). The French side have scored only five goals across those 12 matches.
- Howe has faced Marseille boss De Zerbi on three previous occasions across all competitions, with both managers recording one victory each (D1). Eleven goals were scored across the three meetings (6 for Newcastle, 5 for Brighton), at an average of 3.7 per game.
- Newcastle will be looking to win four consecutive matches for the first time in the Champions League (currently on a three-game winning streak), while they are already on their longest run of consecutive clean sheets in the competition (3).
- Marseille have dropped six points from winning positions in the Champions League this season, more than any other side. They’re the only side to have lost multiple matches in which they scored the opening goal in the current tournament (2 – both 2-1 defeats against Real Madrid and Sporting CP).
- Newcastle have scored 10 goals in four Champions League matches this season, already four more than in their previous appearance in the competition under Eddie Howe (6 in 6 games in 2023-24). The Magpies are one of only five sides with a shot conversion rate of 20% or higher this season (20% – 10 goals from 50 shots).
- Gordon has been directly involved in five goals in four Champions League games this season (4 goals, 1 assist), with only Victor Osimhen (6) having more combined in the current edition. The only Newcastle player with more goal involvements in a single Champions League campaign is Alan Shearer, who had seven in the 2002-03 season (6 goals, 1 assist).
Prediction for Marseille v Newcastle
Marseille
1
–
2
Newcastle
It’s a very tricky away fixture for Newcastle, but they should have just enough to come through it.
Bet Here
What To Do If You Have A Gambling Problem
We understand that gambling can be fun, but it is always important to gamble responsibly. If you are struggling with a gambling problem, please do not hesitate to ask for help. There are people who can help you get on the road to recovery. Below, we have listed some helpful resources to help aid you on the road to recovery.
- National Gambling Helpline: 0808 8020 133
- GamCare: https://www.gamcare.org.uk
- GambleAware: www.gambleaware.com
