Fresh off the back of a 6-0 hammering of Kayserispor, Galatasaray go head to head with Alanyaspor as round 30 of the Turkish Super Lig kicks off on Tuesday evening.
Okan Buruk's men, who are unbeaten in their last four visits to the Bahcesehir Okullari Arena, set out to make it three wins on the bounce and edge closer to their first league title since the 2018-19 campaign.
Match preview
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Alanyaspor failed to return to the top half of the Super Lig standings on Friday when they suffered a 3-1 defeat against Antalyaspor at the New Antalya Stadium.
In a game where Umut Gunes received his marching orders, Dogukan Sinik, Alassane Ndao and Bertug Yildirim all hit the target to cancel out Ahmed Hassan's 21st-minute opener and hand the hosts a comeback victory.
Alanyaspor have now gone four consecutive games without a win, claiming one point from a possible 12, and are winless in 10 of their last 11 outings across all competitions, losing eight and picking up two draws since early January.
This poor run of form has been owing to their defensive frailties as Ersun Yanal's men have conceded 30 goals while managing just two clean sheets in their 13 outings since the turn of the year.
Alanyaspor have picked up eight wins, eight draws and lost 12 of their 28 games to collect 32 points and sit 11th in the Super Lig table, level on points with Antalyaspor and Kasimpasa.
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On the other hand, Galatasaray took another step towards their first league title in four years as they steamrolled Kayserispor 6-0 at the Nef Stadyumu on Friday.
Mauro Icardi almost single-handedly put Cagdas Atan's men to the sword as he grabbed a first-half hat-trick and one assist to inspire the hosts to an emphatic victory.
Prior to that, Galatasaray's dreams of a domestic double came to an end as they were dumped out of the Turkiye Kupasi courtesy of a 3-2 quarter-final defeat against Istanbul Basaksehir on April 5.
Buruk's side's full focus will now be on the Super Lig, where they have picked up 66 points from 27 games to sit at the summit of the table with a six-point cushion over second-placed Fenerbahce.
Off the back of a disappointing 13th-placed finish last season, Galatasaray's sensational title charge has been owing to the solid job done at the back, where they are the meanest side in the division with 13 clean sheets and just 19 goals conceded.
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Alanyaspor remain without the services of Belgian defender Yunus Bahadir, who has been sidelined since last October through an Achilles tendon injury.
Former Benfica forward Daniel Candeias, who has featured in 22 of the hosts' 28 league games so far, is ruled out of the midweek clash after picking up a leg injury in March's game against Fenerbahce.
While Gunes will sit out the first of his three-match suspension, Zouhair Feddal is back from a muscle problem and should return to action after missing the last three matches.
Icardi has been instrumental in Galatasaray's title charge and the Argentine striker, who has 12 goals and seven assists to his name, should spearhead the visitors' attack once again.
Off the back of another eye-catching cameo, Nicolo Zaniolo could be handed his first league start since signing from Roma in February, joining Dries Mertens and Kerem Akturkoglu behind Icardi.
At the opposite end of the pitch, we expect an unchanged back four of Sasha Boey, Victor Nelsson, Abdulkerim Bardakci and Sam Adugbe, who have started each of Galatasaray's last two league matches.
Alanyaspor possible starting lineup:
Runarsson; Pereira, Bayir, Rassoul, Balkovec; Karaca, Aksoy, Doumbia; Karaca, Cavaleiro, Hassan
Galatasaray possible starting lineup:
Muslera; Boey, Nelsson, Bardakci, Adugbe ; Midtsjo, Torreira, Zaniolo, Mertens, Akturkoglu; Icardi
We say: Alanyaspor 0-3 Galatasaray
While Alanyaspor will be looking to snap their poor run, they go up against title favourites Galatasaray who are on a run of 15 wins from their last 16 league matches. With their eyes now fixed on the league title, we predict that Buruk's side will comfortably see off the hosts and maintain their momentum.
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Top tip
Joshua Ojele
