Two sides looking to avoid relegation from the Super Lig do battle this weekend as Hatayspor travel to Kadir Has Sehir Stadi to face Kayserispor.
The hosts head into this game 11th in the league and six points above the bottom four, while the visitors currently occupy the final relegation spot on goal difference.
Match preview
Kayserispor started this season in fantastic fashion as they lost just two of their opening 18 games across all competitions, a run of form that saw them reach a height of fourth in the Turkish Super Lig table.
However, their fortunes took a sharp turn throughout December and January as they embarked on a run of eight successive losses and a total of 11 games without a victory.
This horrendous streak saw them plummet down the table where they reached a low of 13th position, but new manager Burak Yilmaz has appeared to have coached his side to a slight upturn in form.
This appointment was made after former manager Recep Ucar had guided his side to the aforementioned eight successive defeats, with Yilmaz able to quickly steady the ship as he recorded three draws in his first three games.
Kayserispor then finally managed their first win in over two months as they beat Basaksehir 3-2, which they followed up with another 3-2 victory over MKE Ankaragucu.
Yilmaz took his first loss as manager in their last outing as they were comfortably beaten 3-0 by Caykur Rizespor, leaving Kayserispor in a position where they are just six points above the relegation zone but also only five points from fifth place.
These inconsistencies that the hosts have gone through this season is something that their upcoming opponents will be looking to make the most of, with Hatayspor hoping to climb out of the relegation zone in this one.
Volkan Demirel's side come into the game in 17th position, level on points with 16th-placed Fatih Karagumruk but below them due to an inferior goal difference.
The Guneyin Yildizi had a difficult season last year as they withdrew from the league following the Turkey-Syria earthquakes, but they were allowed to continue in the league for this campaign due to the circumstances involved in their withdrawal.
They will now be hoping to make the most of their stay in the league, and with seven teams above them within a six-point range there is plenty of opportunity to earn their survival.
Previous matchups between these two sides have seen Kayserispor be the more dominant of the two, winning five of their last seven meetings, but with the possibility of survival on the cards, Hatayspor are unlikely to make this an easy game for the hosts.
Team News
Kayserispor will be without three players coming into this matchup, with two out due to injury and midfielder Aylton Boa Morte suspended after picking up his fourth yellow card in the previous game.
Long-term injuries to both Anthony Uzodimma and Majid Hosseini have kept the pair out for a number of games, and they will both remain on the sidelines for this match.
As for the visitors, Chandrel Massanga is out after he also picked up his fourth yellow card of the season in Hatayspor's last game against Fenerbahce.
Central defender Guy-Marcelin Kilama will return for the visitors after he served his one-game suspension in their previous outing.
Kayserispor possible starting lineup:
Bayazit; Sazdagi, Kolovetsios, Jeanvier, Ali Kaldirim; Yilmaz, Bourabia; Mane, Karimi, Cardoso; Nazon
Hatayspor possible starting lineup:
Kardesler; Rivas, Kilama, Maksimovic, Sertel; Dadasov, Saglam, Boudjemaa; Beyaz, Dervisoglu, Fernandes
We say: Kayserispor 3-1 Hatayspor
Kayserispor have enjoyed the recent meetings between these two sides, winning five of the last seven, albeit one of these was awarded to the hosts due to Hatayspor's withdrawal from the league last season. Of the four wins that have been played, the overall score has seen Kayserispor win 13-5.
For this reason, we expect the hosts to win this one fairly comfortably and score plenty of goals against their opponents once again.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ellis Stevens
