Preview: Alverca vs Porto - prediction, team news, lineups

Porto will look to open an eight-point gap at the top of the Primeira Liga table as they make the trip to Alverca on Monday for matchday 15.

The Dragons come into this one on the back of four straight wins across all competitions, having beaten Famalicao 4-1 in the Taca de Liga round of 16, while the 10th-placed hosts seek to avoid a second defeat in a row after losing 1-0 at Arouca.

Match preview

Five points clear at the summit, Porto will aim to extend what has been an almost flawless league run, knowing victory would stretch their lead at least temporarily ahead of Sporting Lisbon’s trip to Vitoria de Guimaraes a day later.

The league leaders have won 13 of their opening 14 top-flight matches (D1) this season, including a 3-1 home success over Estrela Amadora last weekend, sealed by a Francisco Moura winner and a Samu Omorodion brace.

Porto have now scored 30 goals in the Primeira Liga so far, with only Sporting (38) managing more, while conceding just four at the other end leaves the Dragons with the best defensive record in the division.

Francisco Farioli’s side have also been ruthless on the road, sitting top of the away league table with seven wins from seven, and will look to continue that dominance on Monday as they face a side they have enjoyed success against in recent years.

Porto have won five of their last six meetings with Alverca (D1), with the most recent clash coming in 2003-04, when the Dragons recorded a 2-1 away triumph before edging the return fixture 1-0 at home.

That season marked Alverca’s last top-flight campaign before their recent comeback, and the newly promoted side have actually not had a bad start so far, having put together a couple of runs of positive results.

Custodio Castro’s men, who failed to win any of their opening four Primeira Liga games (D1), responded after the September break by picking up three victories from four matches (L1) before the next pause.

However, the October interruption then halted that progress, as Alverca went on to lose four straight matches across all competitions, including exits from the Taca de Portugal and the Taca da Liga.

Last weekend’s defeat at Arouca ended a three-game unbeaten league stretch and took Alverca’s tally to seven losses this season, though five wins and two draws from 14 outings keep them around mid-table.

Seven points clear of the relegation places and eight adrift of the top four, there is no immediate pressure for the newly promoted side, who can still be optimistic of taking something from Monday’s game after losing just once in their last five league outings at home (W3, D1).

Alverca Primeira Liga form:

Alverca form (all competitions):

Porto Primeira Liga form:

Porto form (all competitions):

Team News

Alverca will enter this encounter without centre-forward Sandro Lima, who was sent off in the 24th minute against Arouca, so expect Marko Milovanovic to lead the line on Monday.

Summer signing Leo Chu will miss yet another outing due to injury, while Portuguese forward Chiquinho continues his lengthy spell on the sidelines.

Stephane Diarra is set to miss his eighth consecutive match through injury, while Spanish midfielder Tomas Mendes is also doubtful after being sidelined with a muscle problem since October.

Centre-back Sergi Gomez has been unavailable for the last two matches, making his involvement this weekend uncertain.

Porto, on the other hand, will remain without veteran striker Luuk de Jong, who is set to miss the rest of the season with a knee problem, while Nehuen Perez continues his long recovery from an Achilles tendon rupture.

Jan Bednarek will miss Monday’s match due to suspension from accumulated bookings, so Jakub Kiwior is likely to partner Dominik Prpic in central defence.

Options at the back are further limited with Zaidu Sanusi away on international duty with Nigeria at the African Cup of Nations, though Moura is expected to start at left-back once again.

Centre-forward Samu has now scored in each of his last four games across all competitions, totalling six goals in that span, and will look to maintain that momentum on Monday.

Alverca possible starting lineup:

Gomes; Naves, Martinez, Meupiyou; Touaizi, Abdulai, Amorim, Chissumba; Lincoln, Marezi, Nuozzi

Porto possible starting lineup:

D Costa; Fernandes, Prpic, Kiwior, Moura; Froholdt, Varela, Mora; Pepe, Samu, Sainz

We say: Alverca 0-2 Porto

Porto are heavy favourites for this fixture, considering current form, pedigree and head-to-head record, and the visitors are expected to take full spoils while keeping a clean sheet.

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