Two teams at opposite ends of the J1 League table will meet on Saturday as 15th-placed Albirex Niigata play host to Sanfrecce Hiroshima, who currently sit in sixth.
Despite their positions, both teams are in desperate need to get three points due to the fact they are each without a win in their previous three matches in all competitions.
Match preview
Alibrex Niigata head into this match looking over their shoulders in terms of the league due to the fact they are currently just six points above the relegation zone.
That is a gap that they can ill-afford to see shrink anymore, although they do currently boast better goal difference than the three teams below them.
The team were able to pick up a point in their most recent outing, and impressively kept a clean sheet in the match which showcases the defensive capabilities the team does have.
However, after three matches without a win and only four victories across the entire season, there is certainly room for improvement as far as Alibrex Niigata are concerned.
Considering one of those four results took place against Sanfrecce Hiroshima earlier on in the campaign there should be some confidence in the squad heading into this weekend.
The match finished 2-1 that time with goals from Shusuke Ota and Koji Suzuki proving to be vital on that day, which is something that the visitors will be wary of.
After going three consecutive matches in all competitions without a win, Sanfrecce Hiroshima will be desperate not to slip up again as they aim to keep up with the teams above them in the J1 League.
Right now the team sits just six points away from the top three which is something that they are looking to achieve by the end of the campaign.
Michael Skibbe's men have typically been strong in away fixtures this season, winning four times and picking up a draw in their nine matches to this point.
However, they do head into this one on the back of a 1-0 defeat against Yokohama F Marinos which is a result they will now want to put behind them.
Finding the back of the net themselves has proven to be an issue throughout the recent sticky patch though, having scored just once in their past three games.
Team News
From a defensive point of view, it is unlikely any changes will be made for Alibrex Niigata after picking up a clean sheet in their last match.
However, the hosts are having to deal with a multitude of injuries at the moment as Ota and Michael Fitzgerald are both out of action.
Yuto Horigome was able to return from the bench in their most recent outing, but he then had to be replaced proving that he is still not right, although Yoshiaki Takagi was able to overcome his issues to appear as a substitute.
The visitors are also dealing with their own injury problems as Makoto Mitsuta is out due to a cruciate ligament issue, while Pieros Sotiriou has a thigh strain.
Albirex Niigata possible starting lineup:
Kojima; Arai, Deng, Watanabe, Tagami; Shimada, Ko; Gomes, Ito, Komi; Suzuki
Sanfrecce Hiroshima possible starting lineup:
Osako; Sumiyoshi, Araki, Sasaki; Higashi, Kawamura, Koshimichi, Ezequiel, Morishima; Khalifa, Vieira
We say: Albirex Niigata 1-1 Sanfrecce Hiroshima
Alibrex Niigata might be the underdogs heading into this match, but now could be the perfect time to face their opponents considering their recent struggles which is why a draw might be the outcome this time around.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
