Antalyaspor will be looking to earn their first Turkish Super Lig win since the return of action after the World Cup break when they face high-flying Fenerbahce at Antalya Stadyumu on Tuesday evening.
The hosts have lost successive matches over the past week, whereas Fenerbahce got back to winning ways last time out after being handed a blow to their title hopes by Trabzonspor just over a week ago.
Match preview
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Antalyaspor have resumed their Turkish Super Lig campaign after the month-long break in worrying fashion after suffering successive 2-0 defeats to strugglers Ankaragucu and title-chasing Istanbul Basaksehir.
That pair of losses has seen Nuri Sahin's side drop to 14th in the league standings, just a single point ahead of Hatayspor who occupy the highest of the relegation places.
After a seventh-placed finish last campaign, the aim in Antalya is to push on and compete with the elite clubs in Turkish football, although inconsistency is preventing the club from realising those ambitions.
Whenever Antalyaspor have managed back-to-back wins this season, they have struggled in the period that follows, including a run of five losses in six matches that stretched from August to October.
Fenerbahce took out their frustration at losing away to Trabzonspor just over a week ago by thrashing relegation-threatened Hatayspor on home soil to finish 2022 in style last time out.
The 4-0 victory saw goals for attackers Michy Batshuayi, Joshua King and Serdar Dursun as well as a second of the season for Brazilian defender Gustavo Henrique, with the 29-year-old enjoying life at the heart of the Fenerbahce defence since making the loan switch from Flamengo in the summer.
Maximum points in Istanbul allowed Jorge Jesus's side to keep pace with Galatasaray at the top of the Super Lig standings, with the Yellow Canaries just a point behind their title rivals heading into 2023 - a position the majority of supporters would have taken back in August.
A shining light in Fenerbahce's season so far has been Ecuadorian Enner Valencia, who has netted 13 times in as many Super Lig appearances, a tally which sees him leading the Golden Boot race ahead of Fabio Borini and Antalyaspor's Haji Wright.
Results on the road need to improve if Valencia and company are to be crowned Turkish champions this campaign, with Jesus's side winning only three of their six away matches - a success rate on their travels that will not see Fenerbahce win their first league title since the 2013-14 season.
Team News
Antalyaspor are set to be without the services of winger Houssam Ghacha on Tuesday evening after the Algerian was forced off after just 27 minutes in the defeat against Istanbul Basaksehir last time out.
Sam Larsson is the obvious candidate to take Ghacha's place in the starting XI, with the 29-year-old looking to make his eighth Super Lig start since his move from Dalian Professional back in July.
Long-term absentee Alassane Ndao remains unavailable for Sahin's men after breaking his leg in the draw with Konyaspor in October, and Shoya Nakajima is a doubt after suffering with physical discomfort over the past week.
Fenerbahce will be without Joao Pedro for their trip to Antalya due to a knee injury, with the Italian managing just one goal in the Super Lig this season.
Valencia has only featured off the bench since returning from the World Cup and did not even make the matchday squad in the last game, so it will be down to Batshuayi and King to score the goals once again.
Antalyaspor possible starting lineup:
Uysal; Balci, Toprak, Kudryashov, Sertel; Akyol, Aydogdu, Bayrakdar, Adriano, Larsson; Wright
Fenerbahce possible starting lineup:
Bayindir; Osayi-Samuel, Henrique, Szalai, Kadioglu; Kahveci, Zajc, Arao, Rossi; Batshuayi, King
We say: Antalyaspor 0-3 Fenerbahce
Antalyaspor have not resumed their campaign after the World Cup in the best fashion after losing successive matches, and the visit of Fenerbahce is not the ideal game for the hosts to change their fortunes.
The Yellow Canaries are embroiled in a three-way title race so need to string successive wins together, and they should be able to comfortably collect all three points in this one.
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Top tip
Carter White
