Preview: IFK Norrkoping vs. Halmstads BK - prediction, team news, lineups

IFK Norrkoping aim to reignite their survival hopes when they host Halmstads BK at Nya Parken on Sunday, with both teams looking to halt their respective losing streaks.

The hosts are bottom of the Allsvenskan heading into this match, while the visitors are five points away from the relegation play-off spot.

Match preview

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It has been a season to forget for Norrkoping, who have only picked up 11 points from 14 league matches, leaving them level on points with second-bottom Vasteras, who beat them 2-1 in their last outing.

IFK come into this match on a five-game losing streak, the longest in the Allsvenskan, while they are also winless in eight matches, which is also the worst run in the league this season.

Norrkoping are 13-time Swedish champions, with their last title coming in 2015, and they have been in the top division uninterrupted since 2011, but that 13-year streak is under threat if their fortunes do not change.

Andreas Alm's side are six points from safety and they need a positive run to turn things around, starting with ending a run of three straight home defeats on Sunday.

The White and Blues have had mixed results against their opponents in recent years, but they lost 2-1 the last time they hosted this fixture just over a year ago.

For Halmstads BK, it has been a case of fading away as the season progresses, as their bright start to the Allsvenskan campaign has been a distant memory, replaced by current struggles.

Four wins and two losses from their opening six games left them in second place by matchday six, but they have since lost six of the following eight games while winning just two, causing them to plummet down the table to 11th ahead of this match.

Magnus Haglund's men were beaten last Monday, with AIK defeating them 2-1 at the Orjans Vall, and this marked their third time suffering consecutive league defeats this season.

However, HBK have a unique feat in the current Allsvenskan campaign, as they are the only team yet to draw a match, recording victories or defeats in all 14 matches.

Away games have been particularly unkind to Halmstads, losing five of seven matches on the road, including the last four - a run they will be hoping to end on Sunday.

Team News

Norrkoping will remain without Joseph Ceesay and Jacob Ortmark, who are both nursing injuries expected to keep them out until the end of this month.

Tim Prica missed the last match due to a foot injury that is expected to keep him out until August, which caused Alm to change his shape last time out with the team's leading scorer Christoffer Nyman playing alone upfront.

Halmstad will have to make do without the services of leading scorer Naeem Mohammed, who might miss the rest of the campaign after sustaining a cruciate ligament injury.

His replacement, Blair Turgott, who started the last match, is yet to open his account this season.

IFK Norrkoping possible starting lineup: Nilsson; Eriksson, Ssewankambo, Watson, Baggesen; Traustason, Lushaku; Sigurgeirsson, Mistrati, Neffati; Nyman

Halmstads BK possible starting lineup: Erlandsson; Ofosu-Ayeh, Johansson, Baffo, Nogueira; Eyjolfsson, Svedberg, Al-Ammari, Granath; Ingason, Turgott

We say: IFK Norrkoping 0-1 Halmstads BK

Recent meetings between these two sides have been a mixed bag, and neither team are in the best form going into this match. However, we still think that the visitors have shown quality at times this season, which could be the difference against a Norrkoping side that lacks in confidence right now.

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