Preview: Al Ettifaq vs Al Ittihad – prediction, team news, lineups

Al-Ettifaq might be concentrating on again-to-again victories once they welcome Al-Ittihad to the Al-Ettifaq Club Stadium on Thursday night, with two Saudi Pro League video games nonetheless to play.

The hosts come into the fixture filled with confidence following a 5-0 demolition of Al Khaleej, whereas the guests arrive simply three factors forward of them on the desk.

Match preview

Saad Al-Shehri’s aspect head into Thursday’s fixture in seventh place within the Saudi Pro League table with 49 factors from 14 wins, seven attracts and 11 defeats, having scored 49 targets and conceded 51 throughout the marketing campaign.

Their latest kind has been blended, with two wins, one draw and two defeats from their final 5 fixtures throughout all competitions, though the latest of these outings might hardly have gone higher – a convincing 5-0 victory over Al Khaleej during which Moussa Dembele netted twice.

Al-Shehri has proven all through the season that his aspect are able to adapting to varied match conditions, and, having completed seventh final season, the hosts might be decided to safe the identical place, or higher, when the marketing campaign concludes.

Defensively, nevertheless, Al-Ettifaq have proven vulnerability at occasions, conceding 51 league targets throughout the marketing campaign, and they’ll must be significantly extra disciplined on the again in opposition to a go to from one of many division’s strongest attacking sides.

Al-Ittihad arrive on the Al-Ettifaq Club Stadium in fifth place with 52 factors from 15 wins, seven attracts and 9 defeats, and Sergio Conceicao‘s aspect have demonstrated a constant potential to take advantage of transitions and exploit opposition weaknesses all through the marketing campaign.

The guests have scored 49 targets and conceded solely 39 within the league, and their latest kind has been encouraging, with three wins, one draw and one defeat from their final 5 fixtures throughout all competitions.

Their most up-to-date outing produced a tough-fought 2-1 victory over Damac FC, with Abdulaziz Al-Bishi’s objective within the 94th minute settling the competition and underlining Al-Ittihad’s capability to discover a strategy to win even when pushed to the restrict.

Away from dwelling, Al-Ittihad have a decent report of 5 wins, six attracts and 4 defeats, and they are going to be assured of acting on the street in opposition to a aspect they sit three factors above on the desk.

The head-to-head report between these two sides is evenly poised, with every team having claimed two victories from the final 5 conferences and one match ending in a draw – though Al-Ettifaq did win the latest encounter between the perimeters 1-0, which is able to give the hosts the assumption that one other upset is feasible.

With two video games left and either side with one thing to play for when it comes to their remaining league place, Thursday’s sport has all of the substances of a fiercely aggressive and intently fought contest.

Al Ettifaq Saudi Pro League kind:

Al Ittihad Saudi Pro League kind:

Al Ittihad kind (all competitions):

Team News

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Al-Ettifaq haven’t any damage or suspension considerations heading into Thursday’s fixture, giving Al-Shehri a full squad to pick from.

Dembele and Georginio Wijnaldum are each anticipated to guide the assault as soon as extra after combining for 3 targets between them within the demolition of Al Khaleej.

Alvaro Medran, who contributed a hat-trick of assists final day out, is about to proceed in midfield alongside Ondrej Duda, with the pair having been in positive kind through the latest run of outcomes.

Jack Hendry and Francisco Calvo are anticipated to kind the central defensive partnership, with Madallah Al-Olayan and Abdullah Khateeb offering the width from the total-again positions.

Al-Ittihad will test on the health of a number of gamers forward of the journey, with Conceicao anticipated to call a powerful aspect given the significance of the fixture to their remaining league standing.

Steven Bergwijn and Youssef En-Nesyri are set to guide the assault for the guests, with Houssem Aouar working within the place behind them after netting within the victory over Damac.

Fabinho and Awad Al-Nashri are anticipated to anchor the midfield alongside Moussa Diaby, whereas Danilo Pereira, Hassan Kadesh and Muhannad Al-Shanqeeti are set to kind the defensive unit in entrance of goalkeeper Rajkovic.

Al Ettifaq doable beginning lineup:

Rodak; Khateeb, Hendry, Calvo, Olayan; Doubt, Medran; Costa, Wijnaldum, Al-Ghannam; Dembele

Al Ittihad doable beginning lineup:

Rajkovic; Kadesh, Pereira, Al-Shanqeeti; Mitaj, Fabinho, Al-Nashri, Diaby; Aouar; Bergwijn, En-Nesyri

We say: Al Ettifaq 1-2 Al Ittihad

Al-Ittihad’s superior defensive report, their potential to grind out outcomes as demonstrated in opposition to Damac and their high quality in assault make them slight favorites to assert all three factors on Thursday night.

Al-Ettifaq will pose a real menace on dwelling soil, however Conceicao’s aspect ought to have sufficient to edge a good and aggressive encounter.

For knowledge evaluation of the probably outcomes, scorelines and extra for this match please click here.