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

Yeni Malatyaspor could be relegated on Sunday if they lose their Super Lig meeting with Giresunspor, who sit just outside of the drop zone.

The hosts have lost their last three matches, while Giresunspor will be looking for a response after failing to win their previous two games.

Match preview

With 16 points separating them from Giresunspor in 16th place, Yeni Malatyaspor will be fully aware that their time in the Super Lig is coming to an end.

They will, however, want to hold off confirmation of their drop down to the second tier, but if they are to do that this weekend, then they must pick up a point.

A defeat on Sunday would see Yeni Malatyaspor's relegation confirmed and after losing their last three matches, hopes of a positive result may be slim.

Istanbul Basaksehir got the better of the bottom-placed side last weekend, with Danijel Aleksic grabbing the one and only goal of the encounter to extend Yeni Malatyaspor's winless away run to 12 matches.

Goalscoring has been an issue for Sunday's hosts throughout the season and after failing to score in their last three matches, they will need to improve in the final third if they are to take at least a point from the contest.

Giresunspor, meanwhile, enter the final seven matches sitting just outside the relegation zone, but the 16th-placed side do possess a seven-point cushion to the bottom four.

Hakan Keles's side may feel that they are close to prolonging their stay in the top flight into a second season, but with 21 points still to play for, they cannot afford to rest on their laurels.

After enjoying a run of three consecutive victories, Giresunspor were brought back down to earth after they were thrashed 4-1 by Antalyaspor.

When Sivasspor took a two-goal lead in their most recent contest, it seemed as though the relegation-threatened side were heading for back-to-back defeats, but a point was salvaged thanks to a late brace from Umut Nayir.

Although Giresunspor would have taken confidence from the manner in which they claimed a point last weekend, their recent away form may offer cause for concern with one of their last five away matches resulting in victory.

Team News

The injured Stephen Mallan has been absent since January and the Scotsman will miss out once again for the hosts on Sunday.

Rahman Cagiran is also unlikely to feature after he missed the Istanbul Basaksehir encounter through injury.

Mehdi Zeffane, meanwhile, terminated his contract before last weekend's contest after failing to receive his wages due to Yeni Malatyaspor's financial situation and with Zeffane departed, Kenan Ozer will have to fill in at right-back once again this weekend.

As for the visitors, Hayrullah Bilazer is expected to keep his place in the side after starting the last four matches.

Magomed-Shapi Suleymanov came off the bench to play the final 30 minutes against Sivasspor and the 22-year-old may come into the starting lineup for Sunday's contest.

Nayir took his tally for the season to five league goals with his brace last time out, and he will hope to be in the goals once again when he leads the line on Sunday.

Yeni Malatyaspor possible starting lineup:

Ozbir; Ozer, Haddadi, Campi, Hafez; Eskihellac, Donsah, Azubuike, Chouiar; Tetteh, Dicko

Giresunspor possible starting lineup:

Kocuk; Bilazer, Diarra, Perez, Behich; Suleymanov, Flavio, Traore, Chiquinho, Suleymanov; Nayir

We say: Yeni Malatyaspor 1-3 Giresunspor

With Yeni Malatyaspor hovering over the trap door to the second tier, they will be desperate to clinch a positive result on Sunday, but we think that the visitors will do enough to claim all three points, which in the process would confirm the home side's relegation.