Round nine of the 2024-25 Turkish Super Lig will commence with Kayserispor hosting Gaziantep at the Kadir Has Sehir Stadi on Saturday.
Both sides are currently in the relegation zone and are both on winless streaks, with the hosts yet to record a victory this season.
Match preview
© Imago
Kayserispor's poor start to the campaign continued, as the Anatolian Stars failed to hold onto a first-half lead against Istanbul Basaksehir, conceding a goal in the second half to draw the game 1-1.
Prior to the clash, Burak Yilmaz resigned as the team's manager, leaving Alper Kelkitli to take charge of the game against Basaksehir. However, Sinan Kaloglu has now been appointed as the new manager.
Kaloglu's first priority will be to help the team secure their first league victory this season, helping them build on their four points and climb out of 17th place.
The manager will be encouraged by the fact that Kayserispor have historically dominated this fixture, winning three of the last four encounters against the visitors.
However, that will require the Anatolian Stars to put an end to an abysmal eight-match winless home run that has seen them lose and draw four each.
© Imago
Meanwhile, a win over Bodrumspor in their opening match of this campaign is the only victory Gaziantep have recorded so far in the current Super Lig season.
The Hawks have now subsequently lost four and drawn two of their following six matches, including a last-gasp 1-1 draw with Besiktas on home soil last time out.
After going behind to a Ciro Immobile penalty just past the half-hour mark, Selcuk Inan's men looked poised for another defeat until Alexandru Maxim stepped up in the 95th minute to salvage a point.
Gaziantep have now dropped to 16th place with five points, two behind 16th-placed Rizespor, who are the first team outside of the relegation zone, though they have played one extra game.
Inan will hope his side can rediscover the type of form that helped them win three straight matches on the road between May and August, as the Hawks have now lost their three away games in the Super Lig.
Team News
© Imago
Kayserispor will remain without centre-back Majid Hosseini, who is sidelined with a foot injury expected to keep him out until later this month.
The Anatolian Stars also have other defensive injury concerns, with Julian Jeanvier and Dimitris Kolovetsios also out with muscle and ankle injuries respectively.
Gaziantep will enter this match without Godfrey Stephen, who is currently sidelined with a tendon injury and only expected to return in late October.
Quentin Daubin will also miss the game, as he is dealing with an ankle injury that will also keep him sidelined until later this month.
Kayserispor possible starting lineup:
Bayazit; Sazdagi, Kocaman, Bourabia, Carole; Gezek, Kaldirim; Morte, Cardoso, Mane; Nazon
Gaziantep possible starting lineup:
Dioudis; Ersoy, Viana, Saborit, Tasdemir; Sorescu, Kozlowski, Ndiaye, Lungoyi; Maxim; Okereke
We say: Kayserispor 1-0 Gaziantep
Both teams have struggled this season, and there is little to separate them in terms of quality. However, the home side have historically performed well in this fixture, and we believe that the new manager's positive influence could help them win the clash in the end.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
