Preview: Goztepe SK vs. Caykur Rizespor - prediction, team news, lineups

The two sides sitting 19th and 18th respectively in the Turkish Super Lig table will do battle on Sunday, as Goztepe SK host Caykur Rizespor.

While neither are officially condemned to relegation yet, the loser, at least, would find themselves unable to climb out of the bottom four, while both could find themselves down at the end of the weekend if other results go against them.

Match preview

On the back of four straight victories in January, Goztepe appeared to stand a good chance of survival this season, as they sat on 27 points from 23 league outings.

However, Goz Goz then entered an eye-catching slump, losing their next 10 league matches and conceding 26 goals in the process to fall deep into the relegation zone.

Stjepan Tomas's side made the trip to take on Gaziantep FK last time out, and they were, at least, able to finally break the losing run as they left with a 1-1 draw after a dramatic affair, as Adis Jahovic looked set to earn them all three points with a 92nd-minute opener, only for their hosts to equalise four minutes deeper into injury time.

Such a result was far from adequate in helping their position at the bottom of the division, and, now sitting 12 points adrift of safety with four games left to play, it is a matter of time until their drop to the second tier is confirmed, with anything other than four wins, or a single point for Giresunspor, sending them down.

They meet a Caykur Rizespor side who are also almost certainly set to go down, albeit having had a differing campaign.

Sunday's visitors have had a dismal season on the whole, consistently remaining in the drop zone throughout the season as they amassed just 23 points from the opening 29 games.

They were, at least, able to prolong their survival hopes recently, picking up shock wins over first-placed Trabzonspor and third-placed Konyaspor as well as a draw with Kayserispor in a four-game span.

While that was far from enough to truly put them in the conversation for survival, it did see them leapfrog Sunday's opponents and remain alive with five games to play.

Knowing they almost certainly needed five wins to stand a chance of moving out of the bottom four, they took on Fenerbahce last time out but came out on the wrong end of a 6-0 thrashing, leaving them 10 points adrift with four games remaining, meaning a defeat or a victory for Giresunspor would confirm their relegation.

Team News

Goztepe are without defensive duo Atinc Nukan and Wilker Angel due to injuries, while Oussama Tannane and Aytac Kara are out of the first-team squad for the fasting period and will not feature at the weekend.

Their front line will be led by former Chelsea attacker Franco Di Santo, who has netted three goals in 11 league appearances since his January switch from San Lorenzo.

Full-back Jacques Francois Moubandje served a suspension last time out, and he is in line to return to the defence on the left-hand side.

Caykur Rizespor duo Sebastian Holmen and Fabricio Baiano will miss out on Sunday due to suspensions, while Alper Potuk and Lebogang Phiri are condemned to the treatment room.

Benfica loanee Gedson Fernandes will return from his suspension to bring quality to the midfield unit, while Joel Pohjanpalo will continue to lead the line.

He should again be flanked by Tyler Boyd and former Everton winger Yannick Bolasie, who arrived in Turkey last summer.

Goztepe SK possible starting lineup:

Ozcimen; Paluli, Demirtas, Arslangic, Moubandje; Kayan, Cankaya; Akbunar, Tijanic, Lourency; Di Santo

Caykur Rizespor possible starting lineup:

Akkan; Gonul, Ay, Ponck, Albayrak; Sabo, Fernandes; Boyd, Mendes, Bolasie; Pohjanpalo

We say: Goztepe SK 2-2 Caykur Rizespor

With both fighting to avoid their almost inevitable relegation, this could be a dramatic and exciting encounter full of goals.

We see a high-scoring draw as the most likely outcome between two sides who have been unable to put regular wins on the board.