Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)
| PROBABLE LINE-UPS |
RENNES  DialloDanze, Apam, Kana-Biyik, Mavinga M'Vila, Doumbia Kembo, Feret, Brahimi Montano | MARSEILLE  Mandanda Azpilicueta, Fanni, Nkoulou, Morel Diarra, Cheyrou Amalfitano, Lucho, Valbuena Remy |
Both sides have selection headaches going into Sunday's match.
Rennes are without first-choice goalkeeper Benoit Costil, who starts a two-match suspension on Sunday, while they are also shorn of four players - Youssouf Hadji, Kader Mangane, John Boye and Jonathan Pitroipa - because of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Razak Boukari continues to miss out injured for Les Rouge et Noir, but Vincent Pajot is expected to be named in the squad. Mevlut Erding could also debut, potentially displacing Victor Hugo Montano in attack.
Marseille, meanwhile, are rocked by the blow of Stephane Mbia's injury, which is liable to keep him sidelined for a few weeks at least. Young prodigy Billel Omrani will miss two months, too, but he has made little impression on the first team as yet, while Andre-Pierre Gignac is still absent.
Slight doubts surround the participation of Lucho Gonzalez and Cesar Azpilicueta, while OM have also lost four players to international duty. Andre Ayew, Jordan Ayew, Charles Kabore and Souleymane Diawara are all presently away with various African nations.
| DID YOU KNOW? |
- Rennes are one of only two Ligue 1 teams still unbeaten at home in league action this term. The other is Breton neighbours Brest.
- Les Rouge et Noir have kept clean sheets in their last four outings against top flight opposition.
- When these sides met at Stade Velodrome earlier this season, a solitary goal from Jires Kembo-Ekoko was enough to earn Frederic Antonetti's side a 1-0 victory and three points.
- Kembo-Ekoko's effort that day was one of five he's scored from outside the box this season - a tally only equalled in Europe's top five leagues by Manchester United's Wayne Rooney.
- Marseille currently lie sixth in Ligue 1, boasting 34 points. Their hosts are one place and one point better off.
- OM were bottom of the table after six matches, but they have picked up 19 points from their last eight matches - the best record in the whole of Le Championnat.
- Away from home, Didier Deschamps' men have been unspectacular. They have played nine matches on the road, winning three, drawing three and losing three.
- Les Phoceens earned a 2-0 win in Rennes last season, with goals coming from Loic Remy and Lucho Gonzalez.
- Remy remains in formidable goalscoring form this season, netting 16 times in 30 starts in the 2011-12 campaign so far.
Rennes may be unbeaten at home, but OM's form in recent weeks is ominous for Frederic Antonetti's side. Expect a close game but, with the wind in the sails of the visitors, they may just become the first team to win at the Stade de la Route de Lorient this season.
Editor's Prediction
Rennes 1-2 Marseille 
