Two teams looking to end their respective poor runs will go head-to-head when Istanbul Basaksehir welcome Besiktas to Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadyumu on Sunday.
The hosts are without a win in their last four Super Lig matches, while the visitors have lost their last two league matches heading into this clash.
Match preview
© Imago
Istanbul Basaksehir's winless start to their Conference League continued, as they were unable to hold on to the lead twice in a 2-2 draw with Copenhagen on Thursday night, leaving them with just one point on the board after three matches.
Cagdas Atan's side lost their opening two matches in the competition, which is part of an ongoing seven-match winless run for the Grey Owls across all competitions.
A 3-2 defeat against Konyaspor in the Super Lig last Sunday left Istanbul with two defeats and draws in their last four league matches, while they dropped to eighth place with 15 points from 10 matches.
It has been a strange turn around for the Grey Owls who were unbeaten in their opening 10 matches across all competitions, four of which were in the Super Lig, and things are not looking any easier as they take on Besiktas in their next league game.
Istanbul have not won any of their last three meetings against Sunday's visitors with two losses and a draw, with two of those matches being on home soil.
© Imago
Besiktas were also involved in European action on Thursday night, but unlike Istanbul, they picked up a 2-1 win at home against Malmo, leaving them with two wins in a row in the competition after an opening-day defeat to Frankfurt.
However, the Black Eagles were not able to achieve this sort of result in their last Super Lig game, losing 3-1 at home against Kasimpasa, to make it two league losses in a row.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst's side remained in fourth place with 20 points, three points behind third-placed Fenerbahce and one point ahead of fifth-placed Eyupspor who have played one extra game.
Defeat on Sunday will see Besiktas lose three matches in a row for the first time since March, while they could also lose two away matches in a row for the first time since January.
Team News
© Imago
Istanbul are heading into this clash with a full squad available, with no injuries or suspensions to contend with.
Krzysztof Piatek has scored in the last two matches, and he will be hoping to continue this scoring form when he leads the line on Sunday.
Besiktas will be without Emir Han Topcu, who is suspended due to an accumulation of yellow cards, with Tayyib Talha Sanuc likely to replace him.
The team's top scorer, Ciro Immobile, is sidelined with a thigh injury, while Necip Uysal will remain out with a ligament issue.
Istanbul Basaksehir possible starting lineup:
Sengezer; Sahiner, Duarte, Opoku, Kemen; Crespo, Ergun, Figueiredo; Gurler, Turuc, Piatek
Besiktas possible starting lineup:
Gunok; Buluk, Uduokhai, Topcu, Masuaku; Ndour, Fernandes; Mario, Silva, Kilicsoy; Muci
We say: Istanbul Basaksehir 1-1 Besiktas
Both teams are enduring poor spells in recent weeks, but they could both have gained some confidence from Thursday's European fixtures, and we believe that this clash will end in a stalemate, given that both teams are currently on a similar level.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
