The Saudi Professional League’s Matchday 14 commences with Al Ettifaq dealing with Al Ittihad on the Abdullah Al-Dabal Stadium on Friday night.
Presently, the hosts sit in seventh place with 22 factors, whereas the guests are two positions above them, holding a two-point benefit after 13 matches.
Match Preview
Al Ettifaq, underneath Steven Gerrard, commenced the 2023-24 season strongly, profitable 5 and drawing one in every of their preliminary six video games.
Nonetheless, their momentum has waned these days, accumulating just one victory of their final seven matches throughout competitions.
They lately had back-to-back goalless attracts within the league and confronted elimination from the King’s Cup by Al Nassr.
Regardless of their latest struggles, Al Ettifaq holds a strong dwelling file, having suffered just one defeat in seven dwelling matches this season.
Nonetheless, they’ve struggled in opposition to Al Ittihad in latest encounters, failing to safe a victory of their final 4 conferences since January 2021.
Al Ittihad, the defending champions, started the league with a combined bag of outcomes and made a managerial change by changing Nuno Espirito Santo with Marcelo Gallardo, the previous profitable River Plate coach.
Gallardo goals to carry Al Ittihad after a 4-2 win underneath interim supervisor Hassan Khalifa of their final league sport.
The guests have a strong away file this season, with 4 wins, two attracts, and only one loss in seven video games.
Group Information
For Al Ettifaq, Jordan Henderson is ready to return in midfield, whereas Hamed Al Ghamdi could be positioned in a ahead function alongside Mohammed Al Kuwaykibi and Demarai Grey.
Al Ittihad will miss Abdullah Al-Jadani and Aseel Abed as a consequence of accidents, and N’Golo Kante, Saleh Al Amri, and Sultan Al-Farhan are uncertain.
Karim Benzema, who scored a hat-trick within the final match, is prone to lead the assault with Romarinho and Igor Coronado.
Potential Lineups
Al Ettifaq:(4-3-3)
Victor;
Khateeb, Hendry, Tisserand, Abdulrahman;
Henderson, Mahzari, Wijnaldum;
Grey, Al Ghamdi, Al Kuwaykibi
Al Ittihad:(4-3-3)
Grohe;
Al-Shanqeeti, Kadesh, Felipe, Hawsawi;
Al-Olayan, Al-Ghamdi, Fabinho;
Romarinho, Benzema, Coronado
Prediction: Al Ettifaq 1-2 Al Ittihad
Regardless of Al Ettifaq’s want for a win, they may discover it difficult in opposition to Al Ittihad, who’ve beforehand secured victories at this venue.
Anticipating a tightly contested match, we anticipate Al Ittihad to clinch victory by the ultimate whistle.
