Preview: Al Khaleej vs Al-Nassr - prediction, team news, lineups

Back to winning ways, Al-Nassr make the trip to Dammam on Sunday evening, looking to go top of the Saudi Pro League table when they face a winless Al-Khaleej side at the Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium.

Jose Gomes’s hosts have yet to taste victory in six attempts this season and are desperately short of attacking inspiration, while Ange Postecoglou’s visitors arrive as favourites and ready to move clear at the summit.

Match preview

Al-Khaleej have endured a frustrating start to the Saudi Pro League season, amassing just four points from their opening six matches to sit 13th in the table.

The lack of goals has been the defining problem for Gomes’s side, who have scored only twice all season - the joint-second lowest return in the division - while conceding nine at the other end.

Their campaign opened with back-to-back goalless draws against Al-Taawoun and Al-Shabab before a 1-1 draw with Abha offered brief encouragement, only for consecutive heavy defeats - 5-1 against Al-Hilal and 3-0 against Neom - to underline the scale of the challenge facing the club.

A goalless draw at home to Al-Riyadh in their most recent fixture was a fourth stalemate of the season, and while a point is never unwelcome, the inability to score in four of their six outings makes it very difficult to see how Gomes can engineer a first win of the campaign against one of the division’s most potent attacking sides.

With six games played and still searching for a victory, the pressure is mounting on the hosts, and a home fixture against Al-Nassr, who have won nine of the last 10 meetings between the two clubs, offers little comfort.

Al-Nassr, meanwhile, are in excellent shape, winning five of their six league games to sit joint-top of the table on 15 points alongside Al-Hilal and Al-Qadsiah.

Postecoglou’s side returned to winning ways in midweek, claiming a 2-1 victory over Abha thanks to a Cristiano Ronaldo header and a goal from Abdullah Al-Hamdan, with Nabil Fekir’s 75th-minute reply for the visitors not enough to deny Al-Nassr all three points.

One concern for Postecoglou will be his side’s defensive record - Al-Nassr have conceded in each of their last four consecutive matches, and while their attacking output has been formidable, that vulnerability at the back will need addressing.

On the road this season, Al-Nassr have lost just once in three away fixtures, and with seven straight wins over Al-Khaleej, the visitors will arrive in Dammam with supreme confidence.

Al Khaleej Saudi Pro League form:

Al-Nassr Saudi Pro League form:

Team News

Al-Khaleej have no fresh injury concerns ahead of Sunday’s fixture, and Gomes is expected to have a full squad available, though finding a combination capable of unlocking Al-Nassr’s defence remains the more pressing challenge.

Mohammed Al-Khabrani and Kiki Kouyate are expected to continue at the heart of defence, with Anthony Moris keeping goal behind them.

Thamer Al-Khaibri is set to lead the attack, with Angelo Fulgini and Miguel Crespo providing support in midfield as Al-Khaleej look for their first win of the season.

Al-Nassr remain without Sultan Al-Ghannam, who suffered a cruciate ligament injury earlier in the season and continues his long-term rehabilitation.

Kingsley Coman is also absent with a hamstring problem, and no timeline has been set for the winger’s return.

Joao Felix returns from the one-match suspension that ruled him out of the Abha win and is expected to reclaim his place alongside Ronaldo in attack.

Ronaldo is back in fine form, having netted the opener against Abha to take his tally for the season to three goals, and the Portugal captain is expected to lead the line once again at the Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium.

Al Khaleej possible starting lineup:

Moris; Al-Hamsal, Al-Khabrani, Kouyate, Rebocho; Al-Sadi, Mascarell, Crespo, Kanabah; Fulgini, Al-Khaibri

Al-Nassr possible starting lineup:

Bento; Al-Nasser, Martinez, Simakan, Boushal; Mane, Costa, Al-Khaibri, Angelo; Felix, Ronaldo

We say: Al Khaleej 0-2 Al-Nassr

A winless, goal-shy Al-Khaleej side at home is unlikely to get their first win of the season against an Al-Nassr side ready to go top of the table. We are backing the visitors to claim three points and a much-needed clean sheet.

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