Jonathan Rowe urges Marseille to keep up the momentum and sustain their scoring prowess

Jonathan Rowe, an England youth international, has called on Olympique Marseille to maintain their positive momentum following a recent turnaround in form.

After encountering a tough spell in Ligue 1, where they suffered four defeats in five matches between March and April, conceding a total of 12 goals while netting only five, the Olympians bounced back with an impressive 5-1 victory over Montpellier at Stade Velodrome. Rowe made a notable impact by scoring shortly after coming off the bench.

Elated by this result that relieved pressure on Roberto De Zerbi’s side, the young talent is urging his teammates to keep striving as the Ligue 1 season approaches its climax.

“In my view, we just need to keep pushing and continue delivering strong performances with goals,” he stated.

After struggling to carve out a regular position at Norwich City in the Championship, Rowe made the switch to the former European champions Marseille in August 2024, signing on a season-long loan with an obligation to buy for €15 million, including add-ons.

Despite facing stiff competition from high-calibre players at the club, the 21-year-old has made a significant impact, appearing in 24 league matches and scoring three goals to date.

Rowe reflected on his performance in the convincing win over Montpellier, where he scored just nine minutes after replacing Amine Gouiri.

He remarked: “Once we got the second goal and then the fifth, we began to feel more confident, and we understand the fans’ frustrations. 

“Everyone wants to see goals and solid performances, and the first half was undeniably challenging.”

Recalling what manager De Zerbi communicated to him prior to his arrival on the pitch in place of the Algeria international, Rowe added: “He mentioned that we required a bit more intensity.

“Games like that can become physically demanding, so I must bring my energy. Being young, I’ve got to put forth as much effort as I can.”

“The coaching staff see that I’m putting in the work, and I can make an impact when some teammates are fatigued. It’s all about not becoming complacent.”

“As a team, we all felt disappointed about conceding, but we work hard each week to address that in pursuit of a perfect game.”

Currently, the nine-time champions of France are positioned second in the league table with 55 points from 30 fixtures, just two points clear of fifth-placed Lille.

To secure automatic qualification for next season’s UEFA Champions League, they must build on their recent form.

Marseille will face ninth-placed Brest on Sunday, a match where a victory could significantly enhance their European qualification chances.

In this crucial encounter, players will don a special edition kit that pays tribute to club legend Didier Drogba.

The Olympians have a strong record against Brest at home in Ligue 1, having scored in all 15 matches, accumulating 30 goals. Remarkably, they have also netted five or more goals in a match five times this season, trailing only Barcelona and Bayern Munich across Europe’s top five leagues.