Mario Balotelli scored for the third time in four games for Marseille to help them to a Ligue 1 win over Amiens.

Ex-Manchester City and Liverpool striker Balotelli, 28, joined Marseille on a free transfer after being released from his Nice contract in January.

Florian Thauvin scored Marseille's opener after 19 minutes following good work from Maxime Lopez.

Balotelli added a second six minutes later with a fine turn and shot from Lucas Ocampos' pass.

The Italian, who did not score in 10 games at Nice in 2018-19 before joining Rudi Garcia's Marseille side, had the ball in the net again in the 70th minute but the goal was ruled out after a video assistant referee decision showed he was offside.

Jordan Amavi nearly added a third goal for Marseille but his strike hit the crossbar.

The victory took Marseille from sixth to fourth, although they could drop back down the table on Sunday with fifth-placed Saint Etienne facing leaders Paris St-Germain and Montpellier in sixth facing a Lille side who are second.