Preview: Porto vs Moreirense - prediction, team news, lineups

Porto look to extend their flawless start to the Primeira Liga season as they welcome Moreirense to Estadio do Dragao for matchday five's opening fixture on Friday evening.

The Dragons have won all four of their league matches so far, leaving them two points clear atop the Portuguese top-flight table, while their visitors from Moreira sit 11th after collecting four points from three games.

Match preview

Porto once again looked assured at both ends of the pitch last weekend, beating newly promoted Academico de Viseu 3-0 courtesy of three first-half goals from Andre Silva, Gabri Veiga and William Gomes.

While the result saw the Dragons score more than two goals for the first time in the new campaign, it also preserved their status as one of only two sides yet to concede this season, having previously dispatched Alverca (2-0), Rio Ave (2-0) and Arouca (2-0) in the league.

Francesco Farioli's men have now gone six competitive matches without shipping a goal, a run that stretches back to their narrow Super Cup triumph over second-tier Torreense on August 1 and a 1-0 victory against Santa Clara on the final day of their title-winning campaign last term.

Porto have clearly carried forward the defensive blueprint from that 2025-26 season, in which they recorded a league-high 21 clean sheets, and there is every chance they could surpass that tally this time around, given they had already conceded by this stage last term.

It took until matchday four for Porto to let in their first league goal last season, while three more victories will still be required to match the winning streak that opened their 2025-26 Primeira Liga campaign.

Fans of the Dragons will at least be confident of getting closer to that mark this weekend, with their side having won each of the last eight league meetings against Friday's opponents, including a 3-0 victory when the teams last met at the Dragao in March.

Trips to this ground have offered little respite for Moreirense, with the visitors having lost every one of their 15 previous away matches against Porto in the Primeira Liga, though Vasco Botelho da Costa's men will not count themselves short heading into this one.

Although last weekend's 1-0 victory, secured by Kiko's audacious rabona goal, came away at a struggling Casa Pia, it did mark Os Verdes e Brancos' first win of the season following an opening weekend draw with Braga and a humiliating 4-0 defeat at Arouca.

Moreirense's matchday three fixture against Benfica was postponed and will now take place next Wednesday, leaving Da Costa with the task of steering his side through consecutive encounters with two of the country's traditional “Big Three”.

Da Costa guided the Moreira club to a seventh-placed finish in his first full season last term, though just 16 of the team's 43 points were collected from 17 away matches, a record the 37-year-old will be keen to improve upon, with last weekend's success offering early encouragement.

Porto Primeira Liga form:

Porto form (all competitions):

Moreirense Primeira Liga form:

Moreirense form (all competitions):

Team News

Porto's victory over Academico came at a cost, with left-back Zaidu Sanusi forced off in the early stages due to a muscle injury that will keep him out of this one.

Versatile defender Martim Fernandes, who replaced the Nigerian in that encounter, is expected to deputise on the left side of the backline, with natural option Francisco Moura's future at the club still uncertain.

Souza could also slot into that role, though the Brazilian is unlikely to go straight into the starting side following his loan move from Tottenham Hotspur this week.

Porto will also be without Vasco Sousa, Andre Miranda, Oskar Pietuszewski and Samu Aghehowa, all of whom are still undertaking conditioning work ahead of their return, while Sekou Fofana continues to build his way back to full fitness.

Veiga has been in superb form since the start of the season, contributing directly to five goals across the opening four league matches, including a goal and an assist last time out and he is expected to retain his place in midfield.

Over in the visiting camp, Kiko's strike against Casa Pia could yet prove a contender for the goal of the season, and the left-back will be eager to provide further attacking threat this weekend.

In terms of absentees for Moreirense, summer signing Janderson remains sidelined as he works his way back from an injury sustained during his time at Cruzeiro.

Porto possible starting lineup:

D Costa; A Costa, Bednarek, Kiwior, Fernandes; Froholdt, Rosario, Veiga; Gomes, Silva, Pepe

Moreirense possible starting lineup:

Ferreira; Pinto, Batista, Maracas, Kiko; John, Liberato, Mendonca, Veloso, Landerson; Duville-Parsemain

We say: Porto 2-0 Moreirense

Porto's defensive record speaks for itself, and there is little to suggest that standard will drop this weekend, particularly given the Dragons' dominance in this fixture, having kept clean sheets in five of the last eight league meetings between the sides.

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