Roberto De Zerbi’s Marseille misfits looking to spring Liverpool shock: Man United target’s love-hate relationship with Greenwood, Aubameyang’s firing again… but it’s bad news for one star

Roberto De Zerbi is making a lot of noise in southern France. 

The former Brighton boss, seemingly destined for a top Premier League job owing to his exploits with the Seagulls, raised eyebrows when he crossed the channel in June 2024, but has built one of Europe’s most fascinating projects in the space of 18 high-octane months. 

At the heart of his team – who take on Liverpool tonight – is a band of misfits who have been reignited by the fiery Italian. Either deemed past it, not up to standard or a PR nightmare, De Zerbi has fostered a team spirit that has galvanised Les Phoceens and made them a dangerous proposition for visiting sides.

The standout performer is undoubtedly Mason Greenwood, whose arrival at the Velodrome sparked significant protest and international headlines – owing to allegations of attempted rape, assault and coercive behaviour made against him that were later dropped. 

The former Man United star has found his scoring form in Ligue 1, with 42 goals in 62 games for the French outfit, but his relationship with his manager remains notoriously complicated.

De Zerbi has shifted between calling the forward a ‘world-class talent’ while also publicly lambasting his work rate during disappointing defeats. To an outsider, it certainly appears a love-hate relationship where the Italian is determined to keep his star man on his toes, not allowing him to rest on his laurels. 

Mason Greenwood is at the heart of De Zerbi’s attack, with 42 goals in 62 games

While De Zerbi has been able to nurture Greenwood’s talent, he has also proven capable of getting a tune out of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – who had been written off after his miserable spell at Chelsea.

The Gabonese, who had racked up a goal every other game for Marseille in 2023-24, was brought back to France from Saudi Arabia last year and has been a wise addition.

With 11 goal contributions in 16 games, there is certainly life left in the 36-year-old Arsenal hero, and his experience will be vital in unsettling a Liverpool side who have been known to wilt under pressure this season. 

De Zerbi has successfully translated his tactical blueprint from English to French football, with his risky, ‘suicidal’ brand of play that demands his players to invite pressure before exploiting space behind working well at the Velodrome.

According to The Athletic, the atmosphere at Marseille’s training ground is ‘electric but exhausting’ under De Zerbi’s stewardship, with double sessions the standard. A minor positional error in training can lead to an explosive rebuke from the coach, too. 

While this combustible approach can risk upsetting the squad, De Zerbi has seemingly won the trust of the majority in his squad, and have their full buy-in. 

However, not all of his stars have benefited from the Italian’s no-exceptions style of football and management. 

Angel Gomes, formerly of the Man United academy, was seemingly on an upward trajectory just 12 months ago. Thriving at rival French club Lille, he was given an opportunity in the England senior team and was seemingly in the conversation for a role at the World Cup.

Greenwood has endured a love-hate relationship with manager De Zerbi since arriving

Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang has enjoyed a career renaissance in the south of France

But Angel Gomes has endured a nightmare spell at Marseille and could be sold this month

But since moving to Marseille last summer as a free agent, Gomes has dramatically slipped out of the picture. 

Reports from French outlet L’Equipe suggest that Gomes’s relationship with De Zerbi has soured to the point that the club are actively looking to move him on this month.

The silky midfielder has been kept out by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg – the former Spurs star who was widely appreciated by the North London masses, although was generally accused of being one dimensional. 

The Dane has proven himself indispensable to De Zerbi and is his vice-captain, while Brighton star Matt O’Reilly also occupies another midfield slot after joining the club on loan last summer.

Former West Ham and Chelsea star Emerson Palmieri has locked down the starting spot at left-back, although wind up merchant in chief Neal Maupay has failed to make an impact this season – playing just one minute in the league. 

The threats that face Liverpool on the pitch are clear, and they’ll also have to contend with the ferocious atmosphere that awaits them at the Velodrome.  

‘The atmosphere there was really something I haven’t experienced before,’ former Arsenal star Folarin Balogun, who now plays for Monaco, told beIN Sports.

‘It was absolutely crazy. It was just like going into a zombie apocalypse. It was something I haven’t seen before.

‘I’ve played in hostile grounds in England, but for sure Marseille away for me was a very crazy game.’ 

With eight wins, two draws and two defeats at home all season, the Reds will have to be at their best to come away from De Zerbi’s misfits unscathed.