Preview: FC Tokyo vs. Nagoya Grampus - prediction, team news, lineups

FC Tokyo will be aiming to avoid a fourth consecutive defeat when they play host to Nagoya Grampus at the Ajinomoto Stadium.

The visitors, meanwhile, will be pushing to finish the weekend top of the J1 League table, which is something they could potentially achieve with three points on Saturday.

Match preview

FC Tokyo have gone four league games without a victory after their winless run was extended by Gamba Osaka last weekend.

Issam Jebali struck twice in four minutes to give the hosts the lead, before Riku Handa wrapped up proceedings on the hour mark, despite Koki Tsukagawa's late consolation to leave Gas in 12th place in the standings, picking up 19 points from 17 games.

That defeat resulted in the departure of Albert Puig and the appointment of Peter Cklamovski, who was part of Yokohoma F Marinos' coaching staff when Ange Postecoglou guided the side to a drought-ending triumph in 2019.

Cklamovski's first game in charge could not have gone any better – a 3-1 victory over Kyoto Sange in the J-League Cup. That victory saw Tokyo finish in second place on 10 points in Group E, meaning that Gas will qualify for the quarter-finals as one of the three best-placed runners-up.

However, Cklamovski's attention will now turn to his first league game in charge of Tokyo, and it will be difficult to stop a Nagoya Grampus side that is pushing for the league title.

After losing just two of their opening 16 matches in the J1 League, Nagoya Grampus have made a fantastic start to this campaign which is reflected by the fact they are currently sat second in the table.

With just a single point between them and the league leaders that is something that they could change with three points on Sunday if other results go their way.

Nagoya Grampus are currently enjoying a five-match unbeaten run in all competitions, and with their most recent outing being a 2-1 victory over Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the J-League Cup, and Kenta Hasegawa's side had no difficulty qualifying for the quarter-finals, finishing top of Group C.

In terms of their league form, Grampus are currently on a four-match winning streak, and perhaps one cause for concern for Tokyo is the fact that this weekend's visitors have the second-best away record in the division, winning five of their eight games on the road this season.

Team News

Tokyo are unable to call upon the services of Hotaka Nakamura and Kashif Bangnagande, who are both sidelined with injury issues.

Kei Koizumi returned to the side against Gamba Osaka last time out in the league after being sidelined with a knee problem, so he could retain his place in the starting XI this weekend.

As for the visitors, Kasper Junker scored his ninth goal of the campaign against Avispa Fukuoka, so he looks likely to lead the line once again this weekend.

Sho Inagaki and Takuji Yonemoto look set to start in the engine room, while Shinnosuke Nakatani, Haruya Fujii and Yuichi Maruyama will make up the defence.

FC Tokyo possible starting lineup:

Slowik; Nagatomo, Kimoto, Morishige, Tokumoto; Abe, Aoki, Koizumi; Nakagawa, Oliveira, Watanabe

Nagoya Grampus possible starting lineup:

Langerak; Fuijii, Nakatani, Maruyama; Izumi, Inagaki, Yonemoto, Morishita; Mateus, Nagai; Junker

We say: FC Tokyo 1-2 Nagoya Grampus

Despite the fresh optimism a new manager can bring, it is difficult to see Tokyo having enough quality to stop a Nagoya Grampus side that is firing on all cylinders at the moment.

Grampus have one of the best away records in the division for a reason, and we believe they will have too much quality for their opponents on Saturday.

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