Umraniyespor are still searching for their first win in the Turkish Super Lig this season, a record that they will be looking to put right when they take on Alanyaspor on Friday.
The visitors now find themselves in the top half of the table, having picked up seven points in their last three games.
Match preview
Having been promoted to the first tier of Turkish football last season, Umraniyespor have had a disastrous start to the season, acquiring just three points from their opening 11 opening games, a run that leaves them bottom of the league standings.
It is getting to the stage where the side from Istanbul need to turn around their form quickly, already seven points from safety, currently risking leaving themselves cut adrift with a points gap that is too large to make up.
In the opening match of the season, Recep Ucar's side picked up a very impressive point away at now first-placed Fenerbahce, going so close to taking all three points on their travels before a 92nd-minute Mergim Berisha equaliser denied them of their maiden Super Lig win.
Following that, Umraniyespor went on a run of four consecutive 1-0 losses, unable to get a point against giants Galatasaray because of another late goal, with Bafetimbi Gomis netting in the 86th minute to snatch the three points.
In losing by such small goal margins and pushing the league's best teams all the way, it is evident that the squad does have some quality, but they perhaps just do not possess the experience in getting over the line in top level matches.
After finishing just one point off fourth place in the 2021-22 season, which would have granted them qualification to the Europa Conference League, Alanyaspor have so far failed to replicate the form of last season, currently sitting in ninth.
A poor run from the end of August to early September is largely to blame for the lower league position, losing four games out of six in a run that also saw Francesco Farioli's side on the receiving end of a 5-0 battering away at Fenerbahce.
Defensive issues have plagued Friday's away side so far this season, only registering one clean sheet up to this point, with their 21 goals conceded being the same amount as their bottom-placed opponents.
The one shut-out that Alanyaspor have managed did come in their last match however, running out 2-0 winners over Gaziantep courtesy of a first-half strike from Leroy Fer, and a second goal from Jure Balkovec just after the break.
With a win in their last game, and what can be considered a good 2-2 draw at Galatasaray in the match prior, Farioli's men are likely to come into the game full of confidence that they can extend their run and begin to push for the European places once more.
Team News
Goalkeeper Serkan Kirintili is a doubt for Umraniyespor with a muscle injury, so Ucar is likely to opt with Anil Demir between the sticks, having chosen the 25-year-old in the last game, against Besiktas.
Other than that, Ucar has a full squad to choose from, but he may choose to do something different in order to secure a first league win of the season.
Umut Nayir is set to keep his place up front, having scored two goals in his last three games, although Metehan Mimaroglu may replace Serkan Goksu in midfield, accompanying Durel Avounou, who netted in his last match.
There are a couple of doubts for the visitors, with Yunus Bahadir unlikely to play, and Mert-Yusuf Torlak also set to miss out, recently suffering physical discomfort.
Fer has featured in 11 of the side's 12 league games so far this season, and after scoring in their last outing, he may well keep his place in midfield, next to Idrissa Doumbia and Umut Gunes.
Koka is expected to lead the line, bagging two goals in his last three games, with Efecan Karaca and Zinedine Ferhat supporting from out wide.
Umraniyespor possible starting lineup:
Demir, Popov, Aires, Eser, Atasayar; Sackey, Geraldo, Mimaroglu, Avounou, Del Valle; Nayir
Alanyaspor possible starting lineup:
Runarsson; Pereira, Bayir, Aksoy, Balkovec; Doumbia, Fer, Gunes; Karaca, Ferhat, Koka
We say: Umraniyespor 0-1 Alanyaspor
Given their torrid run so far, we expect that Umraniyespor will once again be defeated on Friday, particularly given Alanyaspor have started to turn around their form recently. The home side do not normally lose by many though, so we expect it to be another loss by a narrow margin.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Dominic Lund
