Both sides were eventually persuaded to take to the field once more with riot police present, where Marseille’s Karim Rekik equalised to cancel out Alexandre Lacazette’s first-half penalty. Their players are already under tremendous pressure and fatigue can be a problem in this southern derby, so odds of 6/5 offered by bet365 Sports on Marseille to prevail are tempting.

An effigy of the player was hanged behind the Marseille goal, and he was repeatedly sent sprawling to turf by a number of bone-crunching tackles. “Me, I will accept my responsibilities as president and I want others to do the same – from the federation, the referees’ body and Lyon”, he said.

Marseille have a young squad and are probably more in a rebuilding process this year but the atmosphere at the Velodrome today will be great as they face one of their big rivals Lyon, this should be a really entertaining game.

Lacazette scored the game’s opening goal after 25 minutes, converting from the spot after he was fouled in the box by Marseille keeper Steve Mandanda.

Lacazette had seen his late penalty saved in Wednesday’s 1-1 draw against nine-man Gent in Belgium but held his nerve on Sunday to end his early-season drought.

For the first time this season Marseille is not struggling with injuries and manager Michel can use his best 11 players in the starting formation.

L’OM forward Romain Alessandrini’s challenge on the diminutive Frenchman was deemed a sending-off offence by the referee as Marseille’s leading scorer saw red moments before half time.

Les Verts took a first-half lead at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard through a first Ligue 1 goal from teenager Jonathan Bamba.

Slovenian global Robert Beric, who arrived from Rapid Vienna last month, then added the second just after half-time to seal victory for Christophe Galtier’s side.

The principality club, who remain without a home win after three attempts, were up against it when Didier Ibrahim N’Dong and Benjamin Jeannot put Lorient into a two-goal lead inside 20 minutes.