Preview: Kayserispor vs Antalyaspor - prediction, team news, lineups

Kayserispor will face Antalyaspor in a gameweek 23 Super Lig match at RHG Enerturk Enerji Stadium on Sunday.

The hosts are in danger of being relegated to the second division after an 11-year stay in the Turkish top flight. At the same time, the away side have been mediocre, spending most of the season in the bottom half of the table.

Match preview

Kayserispor’s struggles continued last weekend when they laboured to a 0-0 draw against high-flying Goztepe, who were widely expected to take the Anatolian Star to the cleaners.

While that was a commendable performance, ensuring their first point since a 1-1 draw on the road to Konyaspor in December, it did not do much to assuage the uncertainty surrounding their status as a top-division outfit, and if results do not improve in the coming weeks, their 11-year stay in the Super Lig will be truncated.

That outcome extended their winless run to eight matches, a run during which they managed to add four points to the board in their bid to beat the drop.

With only two wins so far, and one of those victories recorded at home, their fans will not be too optimistic ahead of this match. Many of their shortcomings are hinged on their atrocious backline, which has seen them ship 43 goals, a record which is the worst in the league.

At the other end, they also have the unenviable record of the worst attack in the league, having scored only 17 times this term.

Nevertheless, being unbeaten against the visiting team in their last two head-to-head meetings (W1, D1) could be a morale booster for the home side.

Elsewhere, Antalyaspor have struggled with a lack of consistency for much of the season, and that is a major reason why they are confined to the bottom half of the table.

They started the season on a bright note, claiming consecutive wins over Kasimpasa (2-1) and Genclerbirligi (1-0), but they could only manage a win and a draw (L6) in the following eight league fixtures.

However, two victories and a draw (L1) in their last four matches indicate a move in the right direction, but they still have to watch their backs, as they are only five points clear of the danger zone.

Furthermore, their current run of five games without a win on the road (D3, L2) leaves much to be desired.

Kayserispor Turkish Super Lig form:

Kayserispor form (all competitions):

Antalyaspor Turkish Super Lig form:

Antalyaspor form (all competitions):

Team News

On the injury front, Kayserispor have a few cases they are dealing with at the moment, while they also have a player suspended.

Yigit Celtik is still sidelined with a serious knee injury, while Abdulsamet Burak remains banned for his role in betting irregularities.

Other players like Laszlo Benes, Ramazan Civelek, Majid Hosseini and Denis Makarov are all doubtful for this encounter.

Samuel Ballet will not be named in the travelling squad, as he is suspended for this clash due to yellow card offences.

Abdulkadir Omur is another player who is likely to miss out on this encounter for the away side, as he is currently recuperating from an unspecified injury.

Sander van de Streek is the first-choice striker, and he should lead the line for the Scorpions on Sunday.

Kayserispor possible starting lineup:

Bayazit; Carole, Denswil, Ait Bennasser, Guler; Saglam, Toko; Cardoso, Mendes, Mane, Onugkha

Antalyaspor possible starting lineup:

Julian; Balci, Sari, Turkmen, Paal; Dikmen, Ceesay; Storm, Kafuri, Karakoc; Van de Streek

We say: Kayserispor 1-1 Antalyaspor

Kayserispor fought hard in their last outing to earn a 0-0 draw against Göztepe, and that could serve as an impetus to claim a win on Sunday. That said, they currently lack a winning edge, and this match could end in a 1-1 draw.

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