Preview: Al Tai vs. Al-Nassr - prediction, team news, lineups

Al-Nassr will be looking to extend their impressive winning run when they travel to Prince Abdul Aziz bin Musa'ed Stadium to face Al Tai on Friday night in the Saudi Pro League.

The visitors come into this clash after a convincing victory in the King's Cup, while Al Tai were dumped out of that particular competition at the first hurdle last time out.

Match preview

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Al Tai's winless run in all competitions stretched to three matches on Tuesday, when Friday night's hosts lost 2-0 away at Al-Faisaly in the King's Cup at the round-of-32 stage.

Kresimir Rezic's men managed to go into the half-interval on level terms, but second-period goals from Paul Arnold Garita and Joy-Lance Mickels meant the Hail-based side exited the cup.

Since a 1-0 victory over Damac in their season opener, Al Tai have won just one of their most-recent six matches in the league, meaning they are nowhere near the title challengers.

Rezic's charges have collected seven points from as many matches at the start of the term, meaning they sit in 12th place in the Pro league standings - eight point behind Friday's opponents.

Al-Nassr played their King's Cup fixture a day earlier than Al Tai, with Sadio Mane and company producing a brilliant display to dispatch Ohod 5-1 away from home.

The former Bayern Munich man got the scoring underway in Jeddah on Monday night, when the likes of Seko Fofana and Anderson Talisca also got involved in the goalscoring action for the visitors.

Luis Castro's side currently boast an eight-match winning run across the Pro League, AFC Champions League and King's Cup, meaning they are the in-form outfit in Saudi Arabia's top flight.

Leading the way in terms of goals for Al-Nassr this term has been Cristiano Ronaldo, with the icon of football bagging a brace in the 4-2 victory over Al Ahli last Friday.

Team News

Al Tai are expected to make slight changes to the side which lost a seven-goal thriller at Al-Ettifaq last time out in the Pro League, but playmaker Bernard Mensah is sure to maintain his place after netting a hat-trick.

Alfa Semedo was an enforcer in the engine room for Rezic's men despite defeat last weekend against Steven Gerrard's side, and the 26-year-old is set to start alongside Tariq Mohammed in the hosts' midfield on Friday night.

Al-Nassr have a few injury worries to contend with ahead of their away match, with centre-back Abdullah Madu a doubt for the contest due to a muscle issue, although the defender has returned to first-team training.

Sultan Al Ghanam has provided four goal contributions in six Pro League appearances so far this term, but the right-back is currently sidelined due to a knock sustained earlier this week.

Al Tai possible starting lineup:

Braga; Alnakhkli, Bauer, Al-Sulaiman, Qasim; Mohammed, Semedo, Cordea, Mensah, Misidjan; Dugandzic

Al-Nassr possible starting lineup:

Alaqidi; Amri, Lajami, Laporte, Telles; Alkhaibari, Brozovic, Talisca, Otavio, Mane; Ronaldo

We say: Al Tai 0-3 Al-Nassr

Al Tae have not started the season awfully, but a poor run of recent form will have home supporters worrying about what Ronaldo and Mane could magic up on Friday night.

Al-Nassr have scored nine goals in their last two matches, and we are expecting Castro's men to have their shooting boots on once again to claim all three points in this one.

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