Preview: Samsunspor vs Trabzonspor - prediction, team news, lineups

Samsunspor will be looking to end a four-match losing run when they host Trabzonspor in the Turkish Super Lig at Samsun Yeni 19 Mayis Stadyumu on Saturday.

The visitors head into the Black Sea derby seven places above the hosts after six matches, with the home side hoping to produce a result that will take them out of the bottom three, while their former manager looks to inflict more misery.

Match preview

Samsunspor have endured a difficult start to the season, taking just four points from their opening six matches and losing each of their last four.

Thorsten Fink's side began the campaign with a 3-3 draw against Goztepe and followed that with a 2-0 victory away to Caykur Rizespor, but they have since suffered defeats against Fenerbahce, Kocaelispor, Corum and Erzurumspor.

The most damaging of those results came at home to Corum, when Samsunspor were beaten 5-1 before following that with a narrow 1-0 defeat away to Erzurumspor, losing consecutive games to newly promoted teams.

The Samsun side have scored just one goal across their last four league matches, while they have conceded nine during that sequence, leaving Fink with the task of finding a way to make his team more productive without exposing them further at the back.

Their home record has also been a concern, with the defeat to Corum following a 2-0 loss to Fenerbahce and the draw with Goztepe, meaning they are still searching for their first home victory of the campaign.

Trabzonspor arrive in considerably better spirits after responding to a difficult start with a statement victory over Galatasaray in their most recent league fixture, and they will look to build on that against a struggling opposition.

The Black Sea club began the season with a draw against Kasimpasa before beating Istanbul Basaksehir and then losing away to Amed, but a 5-0 victory over Genclerbirligi was followed by a 1-0 defeat at Konyaspor.

Thomas Reis was appointed shortly afterwards and made an immediate impact in his first league game in charge, guiding Trabzonspor to a 4-0 win over Galatasaray, with Mohamed Salah bagging a hat-trick while Noah Saviolo grabbed one.

That result lifted Trabzonspor to 10 points from six matches and provided Reis with an ideal start, although Saturday's trip has an added storyline given that the German previously managed the hosts and took them to the Europa League for the first time in their history before being dismissed earlier this year.

Trabzonspor also have a recent advantage in this fixture, having won 3-0 at Samsunspor in February, while the last meeting between the teams ended goalless in the Turkish Cup in April before the Black Sea Storm progressed on penalties, extending their unbeaten streak in this fixture to four matches across all competitions.

Samsunspor Turkish Super Lig form:

Trabzonspor Turkish Super Lig form:

Trabzonspor form (all competitions):

Team News

Samsunspor have several players listed as doubts or unavailable ahead of the derby, with Afonso Sousa and Fatih Kaya carrying muscle injuries, while Elayis Tavsan and Kouadou Assoumou are also doubts.

Fink is expected to retain Emre Kilinc as one of the main attacking outlets, while Mohamed Bayo will hope to score his first league goal as he leads the attack.

Trabzonspor have longer-term absences in Ruslan Malinovskyi and Tim Jabol-Folcarelli, while Okay Yokuslu is a doubt with a muscle problem.

Stefan Savic and Ernest Muci are also listed among the players carrying fitness concerns, along with Aral Simsir, Umut Nayir and Onuralp Cevikkan, who is dealing with a hamstring issue.

Reis has a strong attacking group available, including Salah, Paul Onuachu, Saviolo and Franculino Dju, while former Liverpool midfielder Fabinho gives the visitors experience in central midfield.

Samsunspor possible starting lineup:

Kocuk; Mendes, Erakovic, Guarino, Tomasson; Yuksel, Watt; Kilinc, Onur, Jarju; Bayo

Trabzonspor possible starting lineup:

Onana; Pina, Savic, Nwaiwu, Eskihallac; Kabasakal, Fabinho; Salah, Muci, Saviolo; Onuachu

We say: Samsunspor 0-2 Trabzonspor

Samsunspor's four-match losing run and lack of goals make it difficult to back them against a Trabzonspor side that have already shown their attacking potential by beating Galatasaray, while Reis should have enough quality in the final third to secure another victory.

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