Preview: Yeni Malatyaspor vs. Alanyaspor - prediction, team news, lineups

Yeni Malatyaspor head into the weekend in 18th position, and they will be aiming to end a five-game winless league run when they host Alanyaspor on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the visitors will be hoping for a change in fortunes after losing three of their last four games in the Turkish Super Lig.

Match preview

Yeni Malatyaspor have struggled so far this term, and they enter the weekend four points adrift of safety, but the hosts can take confidence from the fact that they have avoided defeat in their last three games in all competitions.

Sunday's hosts have been robust defensively in their last two league fixtures after playing out consecutive goalless draws with Galatasaray and Konyaspor.

Although they will be pleased with the two clean sheets, Yeni Malatyaspor are struggling to find the net, demonstrated by the fact that no other team has scored fewer than the 12 goals they have managed in the league this season - only Rizespor have scored the same number of goals as Marius Sumudica's side

The task for Sunday's hosts is to try to offer more of a threat in the final third, while maintaining their newfound defensive solidity.

Sumudica's men also need to improve at home after winning on just two occasions at the New Malatya Stadium in the league this season, and they will aim to start that improvement with a win on Sunday.

As for Alanyaspor, they enjoyed a positive start to the season, and after 10 games they were sat in fourth place with 20 points to their name.

However, four points from their last five league matches has seen Sunday's visitors drop slightly down the table.

In fact, Alanyaspor enter the weekend on the back of two consecutive league defeats, with the most recent of those coming last weekend at home to Sivasspor.

The concern for Bulent Korkmaz will be that his side have failed to score in three of their last five league games.

However, they can be encouraged by their away form that has seen them accumulate 11 points on their travels this season - the third-highest away points total in the Turkish Super Lig.

Team News

Yeni Malatyaspor are missing Mustafa Eskihellac with a thigh problem keeping the midfielder out.

Rayane Aabid returned to the starting lineup last time out, and he will keep his place for Sunday's contest.

The responsibility of leading the line will fall to Adem Buyuk, who will be looking to add to his three-goal tally in the league this season.

Meanwhile, Chidozie Awaziem will be absent for the visitors as he serves a one-match suspension for an accumulation of yellow cards.

Alanyaspor are also expected to be without Cristian Borja and Leroy Fer, with the pair set to miss the encounter through injury.

Kormaz will welcome back Tayfur Bingol into the starting lineup after he missed last weekend's fixture due to suspension.

Yeni Malatyaspor possible starting lineup:

Ozbir; Ciftpinar, Wallace, Kaya; Hafez, Aabid, Ndong, Haddadi; Mallan, Chouiar, Buyuk

Alanyaspor possible starting lineup:

Kirintili; Bingol, Milunovic, Mevlja, Gulay; Candeias, Akbaba, Aksoy, Karaca, Davidson; Diedhiou

We say: Yeni Malatyaspor 1-1 Alanyaspor

Yeni Malatyaspor are desperate for points, while Alanyaspor will want to halt their slide, which is why we think that both sides may content will a draw on Sunday.