How Real Madrid could line up against Valencia

Real Madrid will be looking to put their fifth straight La Liga victory on the board when they face Valencia at the Mestalla on Sunday night.

Zinedine Zidane's side are currently level on points with Barcelona at the top of La Liga ahead of next week's El Clasico at the home of the Spanish champions.

Los Blancos have been victorious in each of their last four in Spain's top flight, while they will enter Sunday's match off the back of a 3-1 win away to Club Brugge in the Champions League.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how the capital giants could line up at the Mestalla.

Out: Marco Asensio (knee), James Rodriguez (knee), Lucas Vazquez (toe), Eden Hazard (ankle), Marcelo (calf), Ferland Mendy (suspension) Doubtful: Gareth Bale (muscle)

> Click here for Real Madrid's latest injury and suspension news ahead of this match

Madrid have a fairly lengthy list of absentees heading into Sunday's contest, with Marco Asensio, James Rodriguez, Lucas Vazquez and Eden Hazard all still on the sidelines through injury.

Zidane also has a problem at left-back with Marcelo out with a calf problem and Ferland Mendy suspended following his red card against Espanyol last weekend.

As a result, fit-again Nacho is in line to make his first appearance since the start of October at left-back, while the fact that Gareth Bale was on the bench against Brugge suggests that the Wales international will be available to start Sunday's clash.

The fact that a booking for Casemiro would rule him out of next week's Clasico means that the Brazil international could be rested, meanwhile, with Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Federico Valverde potentially lining up in midfield.

Rodrygo Goes and Vinicius Junior are seemingly battling for the other spot in the final third alongside Karim Benzema, and it would not be a surprise to see either selected as both were on the scoresheet against Brugge.