Preview:Eyupspor vs Antalyaspor - prediction, team news, lineups

Eyupspor and Antalyaspor, two struggling sides in the Turkish Super Lig, will both be desperate for victory when they meet at Eyup Stadium on Monday evening.

The hosts sit in the bottom three with eight points from ten games, while the visitors are only two places and two points ahead in the standings.

Match preview

Eyupspor ended a five-match winless run (2D, 3L) with a much-needed 2-0 win over Kasimpasa but were quickly brought back down to earth with a 2-0 defeat at Trabzonspor last weekend.

It has been a tough campaign for the Istanbul outfit, in stark contrast to their impressive start last season in their first-ever top-flight campaign, and the slow start saw Selcuk Sahin sacked in mid-October, with Orhan Ak taking over.

The new manager has won one of his first two games – as many as Inan did in eight games – and has urged patience, promising steady improvement with each passing week.

Encouragingly for Eyupspor, both of their league victories this season have come at home, and they can also take confidence from last season’s meetings with Antalyaspor – winning both legs, including a 2-1 success at this venue.

Antalyaspor have also endured a miserable league start, with the Scorpions currently on a four-match losing streak.

The visitors are also part of the coaching pandemic in this campaign, which has seen eight managers already dismissed this season, but new boss Erol Bulut, who replaced Emre Belozoglu in October, is still searching for his first league win in charge.

A 3-0 Turkish Cup victory over third-tier Bursaspor during the week offered some respite, but league struggles continue, with the Scorpions without victory in their last five Super Lig games (1D, 4L).

Bulut has asked for patience as he implements his system, though another defeat here could leave the Antalya side in the bottom three by the end of the weekend.

Eyupspor Turkish Super Lig form:

Antalyaspor Turkish Super Lig form:

Antalyaspor form (all competitions):

Team News

Eyupspor’s injury woes continue, with striker Denis Dragus remaining sidelined with an injury that has kept him out for three weeks.

Defender Luccas Claro suffered a broken leg in the defeat to Trabzonspor and faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines, Umut Meras is expected to continue in his place.

Midfielder Samuel Saiz has missed the last two matches and remains a doubt, while Can Bayirkan is yet to feature this season.

For Antalyaspor, goalkeeper Julian Cuesta missed the last game with an injury, meaning Abdullah Yigiter could continue in goal.

Central defenders Bahadir Ozturk and Veysel Sari are still unavailable, as are long-term absentees Erdogan Yesilyurt and Samuel Ballet.

Dogukan Sinik is suspended after being sent off in last weekend’s heavy 4-0 defeat, and this could see Nikola Storm back in the XI.

Eyupspor possible starting lineup:

Marcos; Muljakic, Meras, R Yalcin; Gurler, Legowski, Dermibay, Calegari; Akbunar, Kayan; Thiam

Antalyaspor possible starting lineup:

Yigiter; Balci, Giannetti, Dzhikiya, Paal; Ceesay; Gueye, Omur, Saric, Storm; van de Streek

We say: Eyupspor 1-0 Antalyaspor

This clash has all the makings of a tight and tense relegation battle, but Eyupspor’s knack for picking up rare wins at home could prove decisive against an Antalyaspor side struggling for confidence and stability.

Both teams have defensive issues, and we expect a scrappy affair with few chances, but the hosts may edge it with the backing of their fans and slightly better momentum.

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