Preview: Fatih Karagumruk vs. Gaziantep - prediction, team news, lineups

The Turkish Super Lig reaches matchday 18 this weekend as Fatih Karagumruk host Gaziantep at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The home side are in 14th place, currently one place above the visitors in 15th, with one point separating both teams.

Match preview

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Shota Arveladze began his reign as Karagumruk's head coach with a 1-0 loss to Galatasaray on Wednesday, making it back-to-back league defeats for Kara Kirmizi, leaving them with 17 points from four wins, five draws and seven losses.

Arveladze replaced Alparslan Erdem as head coach after the latter's poor start to the season, which saw him record just four wins in 15 league matches, leaving the club only two points above the relegation zone.

Kara Kirmizi will have to string together a set of positive results to avoid a relegation scrap for the first time since gaining promotion to the Turkish Super Lig in 2019-20 after finishing seventh last season.

Karagumruk can count on the recent improvement in their home record, following their current unbeaten run of four home games, picking up three wins and a draw after failing to win any of the opening four home games this season.

Having won their last two home matches against Gaziantep, coupled with their recent resurgence at home, Arveladze's men will be confident they can get back on track this weekend.

The visitors, Gaziantep, ended a three-game losing streak in the Super Lig with a 2-2 draw against Adana Demirspor last time out, leaving them with 16 points from five wins, one draw and 10 defeats.

Arda Kizildag and former Liverpool man Lazar Markovic had put the GFK ahead in the match, but they could not hold on to the lead, conceding two goals in three minutes.

With Marius Sumudica's men coming up against an opponent that has found some form on home soil, they will need to up the ante to prevent back-to-back away defeats and a seventh loss in nine matches on the road this season.

Having scored five goals in their last two away matches, the visitors seem to have found their scoring boots on the opponents' terrain once again, but they do need to be solid defensively after conceding four against Kasimpasa in their last trip.

Team News

The hosts will be missing the injured Matias Dituro, which leaves Emre Bilgin between the sticks once again, while midfielder Stefano Sturaro is also sidelined with a muscle problem. 

Guven Yalcin missed the last match, but he is expected to lead the line this weekend, with Valentin Eysseric playing the supporting role. 

Gaziantep's Ulas Zengin remains sidelined with a long-term leg injury, which has seen him fail to feature since the second week of July.

After finding the net last time out, Markovic is expected to retain his place in a three-man attack alongside Denis Dragus and Max Gradel.

Fatih Karagumruk possible starting lineup:

Bilgin; Veseli, Biraschi, Dresevic, Mercan; Feghouli, Rohden; Mendes, Eysseric, Keles; Yalcin

Gaziantep possible starting lineup:

Nita; Kizildag, Djilobodji, N'Koulou; Eskihellac, Jevtovic, Ozcicek, M'Bakata; Markovic, Dragus, Gradel

We say: Fatih Karagumruk 2-1 Gaziantep

It is a close call between both sides, but the recent resurgence on home soil should give Karagumruk a slight advantage in this one.

Gaziantep have struggled in recent times and have not been great on the road this season, so we are predicting a close win for the home side.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.