La Liga's bottom two convene at Mestalla on Monday evening, as Valencia host a Las Palmas side still seeking their first win of the season.
With just nine points on the board between them, the pair are mired inside the relegation zone, facing several months of struggle to survive.
Match preview
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After playing out a 0-0 draw against Leganes just before the international break, Valencia remain in crisis mode, with a worrying goal drought seeing them slip further down the table.
Ruben Baraja's men have not scored in their last three La Liga matches, and it has been some 302 minutes since Dani Gomez found the net against Girona, en route to their sole win of the 2024-25 season.
There are also glaring defensive deficiencies in Baraja's ailing side, as Los Che have effectively dropped eight points after scoring the first goal of the game.
Stretching back to last season, they have won only one of their last 16 league fixtures, losing no fewer than 10, and this term's slow start leaves them occupying 18th place with six points so far.
However, history will be on their side as they try to boost that meagre tally on Monday: Valencia have lost just one of their last 13 home games against Las Palmas in La Liga, winning on nine occasions.
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The visitors may see things differently, though, as after five consecutive defeats between 1988 and 2002, Las Palmas have lost only two of the teams' last eight encounters, including a 2-0 win at Estadio de Gran Canaria in their most recent meeting.
Before the break, Pio Pio suffered a 1-0 home defeat to Celta Vigo, extending their winless start to nine matches and leaving them in last place on three points, five adrift of safety.
That was enough for the board to sack Luis Carrion and appoint Diego Martinez as their new manager - the former Espanyol coach has signed a deal until the end of the season.
He faces a huge job to turn things around, as Las Palmas have not won any of their last 23 league games, and failing to beat Valencia would see them equal the third-longest streak in La Liga's long history.
Furthermore, their most recent away success dates back to January 20, against Rayo Vallecano, so the odds are stacked against Martinez as he heads to Mestalla.
Getting off to a solid start would certainly help: Las Palmas have been behind for the most minutes in La Liga this season (313); incidentally, Valencia have been ahead for the fewest (65).
Team News
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The international break has helped Valencia recover key players, as captain Jose Gaya is now back in action after spending five months on the sidelines with a hamstring injury; joint-top scorer Hugo Duro has also returned to training.
Jesus Vazquez is available too, and the young full-back will compete with Gaya and Thierry Correia for selection on the left side of Los Che's defence; that leaves only Jaume Domenech and Mouctar Diakhaby in the treatment room.
Excluding own goals, midfielder Pepelu has been directly involved in five of Valencia's last 10 La Liga strikes, including four of their last six at Mestalla.
Meanwhile, Alberto Moleiro and Sandro Ramirez have been the most potent attackers for Las Palmas this season, both scoring three times in the league. However, Ramirez will join Jasper Cillessen and Marvin Park in missing Monday's game through injury.
Oli McBurnie is set to keep his place up front, despite failing to score since arriving at the club from Sheffield United; Moleiro, Fabio Silva and Adnan Januzaj could feature in his supporting cast.
Valencia possible starting lineup:
Mamardashvili; Foulquier, Tarrega, Mosquera, Vazquez; Guilllamon, Pepelu; Canos, Guerra, Rioja; Duro
Las Palmas possible starting lineup:
Horkas; Viti, Suarez, McKenna, A. Munoz; Essugo, J. Munoz; Januzaj, Silva, Moleiro; McBurnie
We say: Valencia 1-0 Las Palmas
Already approaching six-pointer status, this foot-of-the-table contest will be full of caution and may be decided by just one goal.
Even a struggling Valencia side should be able to edge out Las Palmas, who have sacked their coach after recording four away defeats, in which they conceded an average of over two goals per game.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
