Preview: Molde vs Sandefjord - prediction, team news, lineups

Molde will be looking to get back to winning ways when they welcome Sandefjord to the Aker Stadion on Saturday.

The hosts currently sit fifth in the Eliteserien and are eight points off the top, while the visitors are six points below them in eighth.

Match preview

Molde were beaten 2-1 by Sarpsborg last Monday as they suffered their fourth defeat of the season, with Daniel Karlsbakk and Anders Hiim on target for Even Sel's side while Eirik Hestad scored a consolation goal.

Martin Falk was in interim charge for that game, but Sindre Tjelmeland is set to take over for the Sandefjord clash after finishing up his commitments with Polish club Lech Poznan last weekend.

Tjelmeland's arrival will mark the start of a new era for Molde, who endured their worst campaign since returning to the top flight of Norwegian football in 2007 last season.

Molde finished 10th last year, just eight points above the relegation zone, and have embarked on a rebuild by bringing in eight new faces including highly-rated young forward Trent Kone-Doherty from Liverpool.

However, it is club captain Emil Breivik who has been Molde's key player so far this season, with the midfielder netting six league goals in 10 games to become the Eliteserien's joint-top scorer alongside Viking's Peter Christiansen.

Sandefjord, meanwhile, are without a win in their last two games having been thumped 3-1 by Lillestrom and drawn 1-1 with Fredrikstad.

Andreas Tegstrom's side were closing in on an important win over Fredrikstad last Friday thanks to a Nikolaj Moller goal, but Benjamin Faraas netted a stoppage-time equaliser to rescue a point.

Despite the disappointment of conceding a late goal, Sandefjord will take heart from the fact that Moller has now scored in his last three games and it appears as though the Swede has now found his feet after signing from Dundee United in February.

It is also worth noting that Sandefjord have beaten Molde in their last four meetings and have scored three goals in three of those games.

Molde Norwegian Eliteserien form:

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Sandefjord Norwegian Eliteserien form:

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Team News

Molde will be without the likes of Fredrik Kristensen Dahl, Mads Kikkenborg and Jalal Abdullai through injury.

It is unlikely they will make many changes, with Fredrik Gulbrandsen set to continue leading the line ahead of Breivik, Eirik Hestad and Oskar Spiten Nysaeter.

Sandefjord are also unlikely to make many changes, with Moller looking to continue his good form up front.

However, Zinedin Smajlovic could come back into the side for Stian Kristiansen after serving a one-match suspension.

Molde possible starting lineup:

Posiadala; Stenevik, Hansen, Risa, Linnes; Hoff, Daehli; Hestad, Breivik, Granaas; Gulbrandsen

Sandefjord possible starting lineup:

Hadaya; Pedersen, Lambrix, Smaljovic, Egeli; Melchior, Mork, Vester; Patoulidis, Moller, Alte

We say: Molde 1-0 Sandefjord

Although Sandefjord have an excellent recent record against Molde, the hosts are in better form than their rivals and will be keen to start the Sindre Tjelmeland era with a win.

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