Preview: Gaziantep vs. Kayserispor - prediction, team news, lineups

Gaziantep will be looking to end a five-match winless run when they play host to Kayserispor in the Super Lig on Friday.

The visitors, meanwhile, are also experiencing a poor run of form after failing to win any of their previous four matches in all competitions.

Match preview

With three games left, Gaziantep are all but safe with nine points separating them from the relegation zone.

A point on Friday would make sure of their place in the top flight, while a win would see them leapfrog their opponents in the league table.

The hosts enter the contest off the back of a 3-2 defeat to Fenerbahce, condemning Gaziantep to a third defeat in their last five matches.

Diego Rossi and Serdar Dursun netted a goal apiece to give Fenerbahce a two-goal lead before Angelo Sagal scored to halve the deficit, but the two-goal advantage was restored by Miha Zajc and though Alexandru Maxim pulled one back in stoppage time, Gaziantep were unable to salvage anything from the contest.

Despite struggling for points in the last few weeks, Gaziantep have proven to be a tough team to beat on home turf after avoiding defeat in their last five home matches, with four of those contests ending in draws.

Kayserispor, on the other hand, are guaranteed to be in the Super Lig next season, with 10 points separating them from the bottom four.

Although they are assured of their place in the top flight, Hikmet Karaman will be demanding an improvement from his side following a four-game winless run.

Like their hosts, Kayserispor also lost 3-2 to an Istanbul outfit last weekend, with Besiktas emerging victorious from the contest at Kadir Has Stadium last weekend.

Mame Thiam grabbed the opener for hosts after dispatching his spot kick, but Besiktas turned the game on its head in the second half, with a Serdar Saatci strike and a Georges-Kevin Nkoudou brace giving the Black Eagles a two-goal lead.

There was still time for Miguel Cardoso to score another Kayserispor penalty, but it was too little too late, and they will now turn their attention to Friday's contest where they will be aiming to win their third away league game of the season.

Team News

The hosts are set to be without Steven Caulker and Torgeir Borven, who are both sidelined due to injury issues.

Recep Niyaz will return to the squad after serving a one-match suspension, although the 27-year-old may have to settle for a place on the bench.

Papy Djilobodji has started the last two matches for Gaziantep, and he will line up alongside Ertugrul Ersoy and Alin Tosca in a back three.

As for Kayserispor, they could make a few changes to the side as they begin to prepare for the second leg of their Turkish Cup semi-final against Trabzonspor, which will take place on Tuesday.

Emrah Bassan, Ugur Demirok and Ilhan Parlak could all be in line for a starting place against Gaziantep.

After coming off the bench to score against Besiktas, Cardoso is also expected to be rewarded with a place in the starting lineup.

Gaziantep possible starting lineup:

Guvenc; Djilobodji, Tosca, Ersoy; Kitsiou, Vetrih, Erdogan, Sagal; Maxim, Figueiredo, Demir

Kayserispor possible starting lineup:

Lung Jr.; Bulut, Hosseini, Demirok, Carole; Attamah, Kemen; Bassan, Cardoso, Thiam, Parlak

We say: Gaziantep 1-1 Kayserispor

The last two meetings between the sides have ended in draws, and with just a point separating the two teams in the league table, we think that Friday's contest will also end all square.