PLAYER RATINGS | Marseille 0-2 Nantes: Nine-Man OM stunned as Canaris end Vélodrome unbeaten run | OneFootball

FC Nantes broke Marseille’s unbeaten streak at the Vélodrome this season with a surprise 2-0 win over an OM side which found themselves down to nine-men after red cards for Arthur Vermeeren and Bilal Nadir. Rémy Cabella scored late on his return to Ligue 1 for Les Canaris.

THE MATCH

Nantes opened the new year with a surprise 2-0 win over Olympique de Marseille, who had to play much of the game down to nine men after red cards for Arthur Vemeeren, and Bilal Nadir. Marseille’s unbeaten home record which stretched back to last season was smashed by the Canaris, after Fabian Centonze opened the scoring and Rémy Cabella converted a late penalty on his return to Ligue 1 after signing for the side from the North West.

Geronimo Rulli flapped at a Nantes corner after a Canaris player managed to flicked the ball on, the ball was then played into the back of OM’s net by Egan-Riley, but after a lengthy VAR review Youssef El-Arabi was adjudged to be offside. The first half was disjointed in terms of attacking action, before Artghur Vermeeren was shown a straight red card after a late challenge whilst pressing Nantes goalkeeper. It would go from bad to worse when Nantes finally opened the scoring through Fabian Centonze, when Rulli parried Mathis Abline’s strike into the path of the right back to finish into an open net (30′). OM couldn’t conjure up any more clear cut chances to get back into the game, only testing Nantes keeper Anthony Lopes on one occasion during the whole of the first half.

Roberto De Zerbi looked to roll the dice again at half time, after already taking off Igor Paixao after the Brazilian lost the ball which led to Nantes’ opener and to fill the gap left by Arthur Vermeeren’s absence. Bilal Nadir went into midfield, whilst Michael Amir Murillo came on to replace Facundo Medina as OM moved to a more back four. But once again of their own doing, Marseille got themselves deeper into trouble when Bilal Nadir was shown a second yellow for a foul on Machado. Seconds later, Coquelin and Tabibout would be replaced for Nantes by Louis Leroux and the much-awaited return for Rémy Cabella to Ligue 1 McDonald’s since re-signing for the club at the start of the winter transfer window.

OLYMPIQUE DE MARSEILLE PLAYER RATINGS

Geronimo Rulli – 3

Benjamin Pavard – 4

CJ Egan-Riley – 4

Facundo Medina – 4

Arthur Vermeeren – N/A

Bilal Nadir – 2

Pierre-Emile Højbjerg – 4

Timothy Weah – 5

Igor Paixao – N/A

Mason Greenwood – 3

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – 4

FC NANTES PLAYER RATINGS

Anthony Lopes – 5

Kevin Amian – N/A

Tylel Tati – 7

Nicolas Cozza – 6

Deiver Machado – 6

Junior Mwanga – 6

Francis Coquelin – 5

Fabian Centonze – 6

Matthis Abline – 7

Dehmaine Tabibou – 6

Youssef El-Arabi – 6

GFFN | George Boxall