Galatasaray will look to consolidate their position at the top of the Turkish Super Lig when they host Antalyaspor at Rams Park on Friday.
Cimbom edged past Alanyaspor with a hard-fought 2-1 victory last time out, extending their lead over second-placed Fenerbahce to seven points, albeit having played a game more.
Match preview
© Imago
Galatasaray have had to dig deep in recent weeks to maintain their status as league leaders, with last weekend's win ending a run of two consecutive draws, but it was far from straightforward.
The reigning champions found themselves behind in the 23rd minute when Tonny Vilhena put Alanyaspor ahead, and struggled to restore parity in that half despite generating eight goal attempts.
However, Okan Buruk's side demonstrated their title credentials, battling back in the second half, but it was lifeline from Fidan Aliti, who turned the ball into his own net that kickstarted the comeback, before Victor Osimhen's header completed the turnaround.
While Galatasaray remain unbeaten after 26 matches, some supporters remain unconvinced by Buruk's leadership, a sentiment he will hope to change with a string of dominant performances.
Next up is an Antalyaspor side that Galatasaray have historically dominated, winning 41 of their 67 meetings and suffering just eight defeats, while they are also on a five-match winning streak against the Scorpions.
© Imago
Having last tasted victory in this fixture in 2016, Antalyaspor's record at Rams Park makes for even grimmer reading, with their last away win over Galatasaray dating back to 2010.
The Scorpions will be eager to play the role of spoilers, buoyed by their dramatic 2-1 win over Caykur Rizespor last time out, with Adolfo Gaich striking twice in stoppage time (90th and 98th minutes) to overturn a deficit after Ali Sowe had put Rizespor ahead just before the hour mark.
That victory marked their second win in three league outings, a solid response after failing to register a single shot on target in their defeat to Fenerbahce.
With a six-point cushion above the relegation zone, Emre Belozoglu's men are in a relatively comfortable position – however, their away form remains a major concern, having picked up just nine points on the road all season.
In their last eight away matches in the Super Lig, Antalyaspor have won just once, and it was against struggling Hatayspor, as they have yet to secure a positive result at any of the league's tougher away venues.
- D
- D
- W
- L
- L
- W
Team News
© Imago
Galatasaray remain without Mauro Icardi, who is sidelined with a cruciate ligament injury and is not expected back until next season.
Ismail Jakobs continues to struggle with an Achilles issue, while Gokdeniz Gurpuz is also unavailable due to injury.
Gunay Guvenc is suspended following his red card against Alanyaspor, while Ahmed Kutucu also misses out due to accumulated bookings.
Osimhen netted his 17th league goal of the season last time out and is now just one goal away from drawing level with the league's current top scorer.
For Antalyaspor, Bahadir Ozturk, Burak Ingenc and Guray Vural are all unavailable for selection due to injury.
Erdogan Yesilyurt and Emre Uzun have both suffered cruciate ligament tears and will play no further part this season.
Galatasaray possible starting lineup:
Muslera; Elmali, Sanchez, Bardakci, Frankowski; Lemina, Torreira; Sara, Yilmaz; Osimhen, Morata
Antalyaspor possible starting lineup:
Piric; Balci, Sari, Kelven, Dursun; Kaluzinski, Rakip; Van de Streek, Safari, Samudio; Larsson
We say: Galatasaray 3-1 Antalyaspor
Both sides head into this clash on the back of morale-boosting victories, but Antalyaspor face a far tougher challenge here despite their recent upturn in resilience.
Having endured a brief spell of struggles in front of goal, Galatasaray have rediscovered their attacking edge with the return of Alvaro Morata and the red-hot form of Victor Osimhenm and their firepower is likely to prove too much for Antalyaspor to handle, making a home win the most probable outcome.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
