Preview: Malmo vs Halmstads BK - prediction, team news, lineups

Malmo will be looking to get back to winning ways when they welcome Halmstads to the Eleda Stadion on Saturday.

The hosts currently sit 12th in the Allsvenskan and are just three points above the bottom three, while the visitors are 15th and three points from safety.

Match preview

Malmo are without a win in their last four games and have conceded a whopping 13 goals in that time.

In their most recent game against Vasteras on Sunday, Malmo were beaten 3-2 thanks to a stoppage-time winner from Mikkel Ladefoged and manager Miguel Angel Ramirez has since been sacked.

The Spaniard was only appointed in January and managed just six wins from 15 games in charge across all competitions, with assistant coaches Guillermo Molins and Mario Chavez taking interim charge while the club search for a new manager.

Malmo are the most successful club in Swedish football, having won a record 24 league titles, but they have not won the Allsvenskan since 2024 and finished 26 points behind champions Mjallby last season.

This year, Malmo have managed just three wins from their opening nine league games and will be hoping to turn things around following the departure of Ramirez.

Halmstads, meanwhile, picked up their first league win last weekend as they beat Orgryte 2-0 thanks to goals from Rocco Ascone and Ludvig Arvidsson.

HBK made an awful start to the season under Johan Lindholm, suffering four defeats and two draws in their opening six league games, and the Swede was axed earlier this month following a 3-1 loss to Brommapojkarna.

Stuart Baxter returned to the club as Lindholm's replacement, having previously managed Halmstads for three seasons between 1988 and 1991, and the 72-year-old has made an immediate impact.

In his first three games in charge, Baxter has picked up double the amount of points that Lindholm did in six and Halmstads could move out of the relegation zone with a win on Saturday if other results go their way.

However, it is worth noting that Halmstads have not beaten Malmo in their last 26 meetings across all competitions, with their last victory coming all the way back in 2008.

Malmo Swedish Allsvenskan form:

L W L L L L

Halmstads BK Swedish Allsvenskan form:

D L L L D W

Team News

Malmo will be without vice-captain Pontus Jansson, who has been sidelined since April with a cruciate ligament injury, while club captain Anders Christiansen is also a big miss.

Veteran goalkeeper Robin Olsen could return from injury this weekend, but winger Taha Ali will be away with Sweden ahead of the World Cup.

Halmstads are unlikely to make changes after their win over Orgryte last weekend, with goalscorer Arvidsson set to be partnered up front by Omar Faraj.

Ascone is expected to continue in midfield alongside Joel Allansson, while Hussein Carneil and Marvin Illary could start out wide.

Malmo possible starting lineup:

Olsen; Stryger, Kurtulus, Rosler, John; Skogmar, Lundbergh, Karabelyov, Rosengren; Haksabanovic, Botheim

Halmstads BK possible starting lineup:

Ronning; Boman, Gregor, Tougjas, Kaib; Illary, Ascone, Allansson, Carneil; Arvidsson, Faraj