Preview:Alaves vs Elche - prediction, team news, lineups

Deportivo Alaves will be aiming to climb the La Liga standings when they host unbeaten Elche to the Mendizorrotza Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The hosts are looking to bounce back from defeat last time out, while the newly-promoted visitors have enjoyed a strong start to the campaign and arrive with their unbeaten record intact.

Match preview

Alaves sit 11th in the standings after seven matches, collecting eight points from a return of two wins, two draws and three defeats.

They have scored six goals and conceded seven, underlining their fine margins this season.

Their most recent outing ended in disappointment as Takuma Asano’s 37th-minute strike proved enough for Mallorca to seal a narrow 1-0 win, leaving Eduardo Coudet’s men with just one victory in their last five league fixtures.

During that run, Alaves have scored only four goals and conceded five, highlighting their struggles in the attacking third.

The Babazorros have also looked vulnerable when defending down the flanks and have been guilty of giving away fouls in dangerous areas, something they will need to address against an organised Elche side.

Encouragingly, none of the last five meetings between these sides has ended level, suggesting that Sunday’s encounter could again produce a decisive result.

Elche, meanwhile, are enjoying a remarkable start to life back in the top flight after two seasons in La Liga 2.

The visitors sit fourth in the table with 13 points, boasting three wins and four draws from their opening seven games - alongside Barcelona, they remain one of only two unbeaten teams in the division.

Eder Sarabia’s side have netted 10 goals while conceding just six, giving them the joint-second best defensive record in La Liga alongside Villarreal.

Their 2-1 victory over Celta Vigo last weekend further underlined their form, as they controlled possession, created chances, and ran out deserved winners.

The unbeaten streak has been rewarded, with Sarabia named La Liga EA SPORTS Coach of the Month for September ahead of high-profile rivals Xabi Alonso and Hansi Flick, a reward for his side’s impressive consistency.

While challenging for Europe might be premature, Elche’s early form suggests they are well-equipped to secure a top-half finish.

Having shown resilience against stronger opponents and momentum from promotion, they could be one of this season’s surprise packages.

Alaves La Liga form:

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Elche La Liga form:

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Team News

Alaves will again be without Moussa Diarra, who is sidelined with a foot injury, while Nikola Maras is unavailable due to a ligament problem but is expected to return in mid-October.

On Elche side, Sarabia will serve the second match of his two-game suspension, meaning assistant Jon Lopez will continue on the touchline.

Midfielder Martim Neto is a doubt with a groin problem, while Yago Santiago remains a long-term absentee as he recovers from a cruciate ligament injury.

Andre Silva is expected to lead the line once again after scoring his third goal of the campaign in the win over Celta Vigo.

Alaves possible starting lineup:

Sivera; Castro, Pacheco, Tenaglia, Parada; Blanco; Vicente, Ibanez, Alena, Rebbach; Boye

Elche possible starting lineup:

Dituro; Pedrosa, Bigas, Affengruber, Nunez, Fernandez; Febas, Donald, Valera; Silva, Mir

We say: Alaves 1-2 Elche

Elche’s early-season form has been one of the standout stories in La Liga, and their combination of resilience and attacking quality makes them a tough opponent.

Alaves will work hard to make it competitive, but the visitors look more likely to take all three points.

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