Fresh off the back of their first defeat of the season, Shanghai Port welcome Nantong Zhiyun to the Pudong Football Stadium in round 12 of the Chinese Super League on Friday.
The visitors moved away from the bottom of the table last time out courtesy of a deserved win over Qingdao Hainiu and will look to build on that result.
Match preview
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Shanghai Port were sent crashing back to earth in the new Super League campaign as they were beaten 1-0 by Chengdu Rongcheng when the sides squared off last Saturday.
Despite seeing just 31% of the ball possession and finishing the game with 10 men, the visitors snatched all three points courtesy of Manuel Palacios's strike in the second minute of stoppage time.
Prior to that, Javier Pereira's side were unbeaten in their opening 11 matches of the season, including five wins on the bounce preceding their defeat to Rongcheng.
A run of 26 points from their first 11 matches sees Shanghai Port sit at the top of the Super League table, three points above second-placed Chengdu Rongcheng.
Their impressive start to the season has been owing to the solid job done at both ends of the pitch, as they have scored 19 goals so far and boast the division's second-meanest defence with eight goals conceded.
Nantong Zhiyun, on the other hand, picked up a much-needed victory last time out, when they beat 10-man Qingdao Hainiu 1-0 at the Rugao Olympic Sports Center.
In a game where Liu Junshuai received his marching orders, former Guangzhou City man Song Wang came up clutch as he grabbed a 92nd-minute winner to see off the visitors.
Nantong Zhiyun were previously on a run of six consecutive games without a win, claiming just two points from a possible 21 while scoring three goals and shipping 12 in that time.
With nine points from their opening 11 matches, David Patricio's side are currently 14th in the league standings, just three points above rock-bottom Dalian Pro.
Team News
Shanghai Port remain without the services of defender Ang Li, who has missed the last two games after coming off injured against Henan Songshan Longmen on May 24.
Former Espanyol striker Wu Lei has been instrumental in the hosts' superb start to the season and we expect the 31-year-old, who has nine goal involvements in the opening 11 matches to lead the attack once again.
Lei should be joined in the final third by Paulinho and 27-year-old Issa Kallon for the third consecutive game, while former Chelsea man Oscar should retain his role in the centre of the park.
Wang turned in a solid performance off the bench against Qingdao Hainiu last time out and his fine cameo could be rewarded with a place in the XI this weekend.
Should that be the case, he should team up in attack with Rubilio Castillo, who has started all 11 matches so far, and former Guinea-Bissau international, Romario Balde, who has registered two goals and two assists this season.
Shanghai Port possible starting lineup:
Yan; Wang, Browning, Zhang, Li; Muzepper, Cai; Oscar; Kallon, Paulinho, Lei
Nantong Zhiyun possible starting lineup:
Shi; W Lui, Bressan, H Lui; Shinar, Li, Yang, Jiang; Balde, Wang, Castillo
We say: Shanghai Port 2-0 Nantong Zhiyun
Shanghai Port suffered a slight bump in the road last time out, but they boast the firepower needed to bounce back and get the job done. While Nantong Zhiyun will be looking to build on their win over Qingdao Hainiu and put together a run of form, we predict that the hosts will ease to a comfortable victory in this one.
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Top tip
Joshua Ojele
