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

One of the major contenders for the Saudi Pro League title, Al-Hilal, will host Al Okhdood in a gameweek four fixture at Kingdom Arena on Thursday.

The home side are currently seventh in the standings, while the away side are bottom of the table and are without a point after three league fixtures.

Match preview

Al-Hilal earned a 3-3 draw against Al Ahli in their last Saudi Pro League outing to extend their unbeaten start to the season with two draws and a victory.

However, they will be disappointed about the way the fixture ended, having raced into a three-goal lead, before they capitulated in the second 45 minutes, allowing their opponents to stage a comeback with only 12 minutes left on the clock.

A brace courtesy of Ivan Toney and a 91st-minute effort by Merih Demiral meant that Simone Inzaghi’s men could only take a point from a game they had dominated.

That outcome leaves the Riyadh-based outfit seventh in the table, with five points gathered across three league fixtures.

Despite their not-too-impressive start to the season, the Blue Waves are still contenders for the Saudi league crown; however, they have to improve their defence.

However, they booked their place in the next round of the King Cup after a hard-fought 1-0 win over Al Adalah in a round of 16 fixture on Tuesday.

While the hosts have scored seven times in three league outings, they have shipped in five goals, with three of those in their last league encounter.

That said, the fans have reasons to be optimistic ahead of this contest, as the hosts have won their last four meetings in convincing manners, scoring 14 times without conceding a goal in that run.

Elsewhere, Al Okhdood’s start to the season has been disappointing, having failed to draw or win any game since the start of the campaign.

The visitors come into this encounter off the back of a 1-0 loss to NEOM in their last top-flight fixture.

That leaves them at the bottom of the standings, and Paulo Sergio is under intense pressure to turn their fortunes around.

However, they enjoyed some reprieve after registering a slim 1-0 win in their King Cup round of 16 fixture against Al Raed.

Nonetheless, their form against the hosts has been dismal, falling to defeats in their last four meetings.

Worse still, they have struggled away from home, failing to win on the road since May 25, when they recorded a 3-2 victory over Khaleej.

Al-Hilal Saudi Pro League form:

Al-Hilal form (all competitions):

Al Okhdood Saudi Pro League form:

Al Okhdood form (all competitions):

Team News

Al Hilal will be without their captain, Salem Al-Dawsari, who is out with an unspecified injury, meaning there could be room for Mohamed Kanno to be named in the starting XI.

Similarly, Brazilian midfielder Malcom, who scored a brace in their last league outing, will sit out this encounter, as he is currently recovering from an ankle sprain.

In defence, Inzaghi will miss the services of Portuguese defender Joao Cancelo, but his absence will allow Hamad Al-Yami to continue at right back.

For the visiting side, the manager could be forced to send out the same team that started against Al Raed.

Raghed Al-Najjar kept a clean sheet in that contest, and he is expected to maintain his position between the sticks.

Up front, Sergi could keep faith with Christian Bassogog, Blaz Kramer and Khaled Narey, as he seeks his team’s first win in the league.

Al-Hilal possible starting lineup:

Bono; Al-Yami, Tamakti, Koulibaly, Hernandez; Neves, Milinkovic-Savic, N. Al-Dawsari, Eduardo, Kanno; Nunez

Al Okhdood possible starting lineup:

Al-Najjar; Asiri, Gunter, Al Hatila; Hawsawi, Pedroza, Petros, Al Qaydhi; Bassogog, Kramer, Narey

We say: Al-Hilal 3-0 Al Okhdood

While Al Hilal’s start to the season has been below par, they have more than enough quality to dispatch the visiting side. Last time out in the league, they scored three times against a much better team; thus, we are backing them to win 3-0 on Thursday.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.