Preview: Al-Hilal vs Al Fayha - prediction, team news, lineups

Al-Hilal will step out once again on Thursday, as they continue their charge for the Saudi Pro League title, when Al Fayha visit the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.

The league leaders are seven points clear at the top of the standings, while Al Fayha are further down in 12th place, four places above the relegation zone.

Match preview

Al-Hilal continued their impressive run with a comeback 2-1 victory over Neom SC in their last league outing at the weekend.

The home side stunned the Blue Wave by a late first-half goal courtesy of Mohammed Al Burayk, leaving them to come from behind to claim a 2-1 win after goals from Hassan Tambakti and Ruben Neves.

That win, their 13th of the current campaign, ensured that they maintained a seven-point gap over their nearest challengers, Al-Nassr, going into matchday 16.

Since consecutive draws against Al-Qadsiah and Al-Ahli SC in gameweeks two and three, Simone Inzaghi’s men have been unstoppable, winning 12 consecutive league fixtures.

Besides their imperious form in the Saudi top division, the Riyadh-based outfit have dominated meetings against Thursday’s opponents, recording four triumphs and a draw in the other fixture.

Supporters of the hosts will be highly confident of witnessing another victory, as their team are currently on a 10-game winning run at the Kingdom Arena across all competitions, with six league wins coming in that run.

Meanwhile, Al Fayha are currently going through a rough patch in their travels, having failed to win in five matches on the road, with one draw earned during that spell.

The visitors' overall form is even more worrisome, with no wins in seven league games (D3) since their 2-0 victory over Al-Okhdood on November 7.

Coming into the game off the back of a 1-1 draw against Damac, they sit 12th in the Saudi Pro League table with 14 points, four places and five points above the relegation zone, and they are hard-pressed to start getting results.

Against Al-Hilal, that will be a Herculean task as Emanuel Pedro’s team have failed to keep a clean sheet in five successive matches and have been breached 11 times in that period, shipping five in at least two of those matches.

At the other end of the pitch, Pedro has to find an antidote for the paucity of goals, having scored only 13, a record which is only better than Damac (12) and Al-Okhdood (11).

Al-Hilal Saudi Pro League form:

Al Fayha Saudi Pro League form:

Team News

Simone Inzaghi has the luxury of a fully healthy squad, but no alteration is expected to the team he sent out in the 2-1 victory at Neom last weekend.

Portuguese midfielder Ruben Neves shone like a million stars, providing one assist and a goal in that win, and he is sure to be involved from the start once again.

Although the attacking duo of Marcos Leonardo and Darwin Nunez were not on the scoresheet last Sunday, they are favoured to be the attacking pair once again.

Although the Africa Cup of Nations is over, this fixture will come too soon for Kalidou Koulibaly, who helped Senegal win the title.

Fashion Sakala scored his team’s only goal in their 1-1 draw to take his tally to three in 13 matches—an underwhelming return for a striker—but he remains their best attacking threat.

His strike partner, Jason Remeseiro, has not scored since November 7, when they dispatched Al-Okhdood 2-0, making it eight games without a goal, but he is likely to be named in the starting XI.

Orlando Mosquera will once again man the goal, with protection from Mohammed Al Baqawi, Chris Smalling, Mikel Villanueva and Ahmed Bamsaud.

Al-Hilal possible starting lineup:

Al Rubaie; Al Yami, Tambakti, Mari, Hernandez; Malcolm, Milinkovic-Savic, Neves, Kanno; Marcos Leonardo, Nunez

Al Fayha possible starting lineup:

Mosquera; Bamsaud, Smalling, Villanueva, Al Baqawi; Dahal, Benzia, Semedo, Al Beshe; Remeseiro, Sakala

We say: Al-Hilal 3-0 Al Fayha

Al-Hilal have won their last 10 games at home and recorded 12 successive victories in the Saudi top division. Besides their impressive form, they have a rampant attack, and up against one of the teams with a porous backline, we can only call a 3-0 win for the hosts.

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