Kayserispor will set out to end a run of six straight league defeats on Thursday, when they travel to the Samsun 19 May Stadium to take on Samsunspor.
The rut has seen the visitors drop to 10th spot in the Turkish Super Lig table, while their hosts have recently climbed out of the bottom four in the fight for survival.
Match preview
Samsunspor return to the Samsun 19 May Stadium on Thursday with the aim of further boosting their Turkish Super Lig survival hopes, having built an improved run of form in recent weeks after enduring a tough start to life in the top flight.
Following their promotion last season, the Red Lightning managed just two points from their first nine league outings, quickly finding themselves at the bottom of the division as a result, but they have managed to improve their fortunes and move into a competitive position since early November, taking their tally to 22 points from 21 matches.
Indeed, across those last 12 games, Markus Gisdol's side have managed their first six league victories of the season, including two in their four outings since the turn of the year, firstly kicking off January with a 1-0 triumph at home to Fatih Karagumruk thanks to Ercan Kara's 84th-minute goal, before bouncing back from a 2-1 defeat to high-flying Trabzonspor with a 2-0 beating of Sivasspor as Rick van Drongelen and Carlo Holse got on the scoresheet in the first half.
Then on the back of an impressive 3-1 victory away at Alanyaspor in the Turkish Cup fifth round, Gisdol's side most recently faced a particularly tough test away at league leaders Fenerbahce, but they were able to come from behind and take a creditable share of the spoils from a 1-1 draw thanks to Emre Kilinc's leveller on the hour mark after Irfan Kahveci put their hosts ahead early on.
Having eventually jumped out of the drop zone in recent weeks thanks to their impressive upturn in form, Samsunspor do now sit 16th in the Turkish Super Lig but only lead the bottom four by a single point, and they will be keen to keep building momentum with another victory to extend their cushion on Thursday.
They meet a visiting side in the midst of a contrasting trajectory, having quickly dropped down the table in recent weeks after enjoying a fine start to the campaign.
After finishing ninth last time around, Kayserispor quickly put themselves at the top end of the Turkish Super Lig this term, amassing 26 points from their first 15 outings courtesy of eight victories alongside just two defeats.
That start culminated in an eye-catching unbeaten run between mid-October and mid-December, winning six and drawing one in a seven-match span, but they have since endured a dismal run, suffering six straight league defeats around the turn of the year.
On the back of that hot streak, 2023 ended with defeats to Fenerbahce and Konyaspor, and they have been unable to bounce back in four attempts in January thus far, firstly falling to Sivasspor, Fatih Karagumruk and Galatasaray and second-tier Genclerbirligi in the Turkish Cup, before most recently hosting basement side Istanbulspor on Monday and missing out on a share of the spoils in disappointing circumstances as Ali Yasar netted the only goal of the game for the visitors five minutes into injury time.
As a result of their dramatic dip in form since mid-December, Kayserispor have quickly dropped to 10th spot in the Turkish Super Lig, and now sitting six points outside of the top five and only five ahead of the relegation zone, they will be desperate to end the slide and begin climbing back up the table with a return to winning ways on Thursday.
Team News
While Markus Gisdol may have wished to deploy an unchanged Samsunspor starting XI from their creditable 1-1 draw away at Fenerbahce last time out, he will be unable to call on striker Marius Mouandilmadji, who will serve a suspension for an accumulation of yellow cards.
Elsewhere, they will continue to deal with several enforced absences as Bedirhan Cetin, Gaetan Laura and Rick Van Drongelen are sidelined by injuries, while Olivier Ntcham, Nanu and Kingsley Schindler are away on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations.
In the absence of Mouandilmadji, Ercan Kara and the returning Landy Dimata will battle to lead the line, while Emre Kilinc and Carlo Holse should both keep their places on the wings with Flavien Tait, Taylan Antalyali and Youssef Ait Bennasser set to continue in the engine room.
Kayserispor are also without several players heading into Thursday's game, with Julian Jeanvier, Olivier Kemen and Carlos Mane on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations and Majid Hosseini away at the Asian Cup with Iran, while Stephane Bahoken and Anthony Uzodimma are sidelined by injuries.
In the continued absence of Bahoken, Miguel Cardoso should continue to lead the line, while the departure of top scorer Mame Thiam has left a further gap in their attack, with further responsibility falling on winger Aylton Boa Morte, who has notched up seven goals so far this term.
Ali Karimi is a mainstay in midfield and could again take up an advanced role in a 4-2-3-1 shape, leaving Kartal Yilmaz and Eray Ozbek to partner up in front of the back four.
Samsunspor possible starting lineup:
Kocuk; Yavru, Satka, Ozturk, Bola; Bennasser; Holse, Tait, Antalyali, Kilinc; Kara
Kayserispor possible starting lineup:
Bayazit; Kaldirim, Attamah, Kocaman, Carole; Yilmaz, Ozbek; Boa Morte, Karimi, Civelek; Cardoso
We say: Samsunspor 2-1 Kayserispor
While the visitors have enjoyed the much stronger first half to the season, it is the Samsunspor who come into the game with momentum, while Kayserispor are quickly dropping down the table, and we see their trajectories continuing with a home victory on Thursday.
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Top tip
Sam Varley
