Galatasaray will look to maintain their nine-point lead at the top of the Turkish Super Lig table when they face fierce rivals Besiktas in the Istanbul derby on Saturday.
Despite the current gulf between the two sides in the standings, the visitors will be eager to exact revenge after suffering a 2-1 defeat in the reverse fixture.
Match preview
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Besiktas are experiencing their first real slump under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, having lost back-to-back league games following a nine-match unbeaten run.
Both defeats followed a frustratingly similar pattern, with the Black Eagles dominating possession but failing to capitalise after their opponents were reduced to 10 men.
In their 2-1 loss to Gaziantep, they controlled 60% of the ball and registered six shots on target while playing with a man advantage from the 77th minute, while in their most recent setback - a 1-0 defeat to Konyaspor - they enjoyed 66% possession and five shots on target, yet fail to find the net despite having an extra man from the 27th minute.
To stay sharp during the international break, Besiktas arranged a friendly against Istanbulspor, but even then, they fell to a 3-1 defeat despite dominating possession.
Having dropped six points in recent weeks, the Black Eagles, currently fourth, now find themselves level on 44 points with fifth-placed Eyupspor, who have played one extra game.
Matches against Galatasaray are always high-intensity affairs, and the hosts will be desperate to avoid a third straight league defeat for the first time this season. However, with a Turkish Cup quarter-final against Goztepe looming in midweek, Solskjaer's side may need to be mindful of their approach.
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Galatasaray, meanwhile, have an even tougher challenge ahead, as they prepare for a crucial cup clash against arch-rivals Fenerbahce on Wednesday.
Unlike Besiktas, though, Cimbom have a comfortable cushion in the league, having extended their lead to nine points with a resounding 4-0 victory over Antalyaspor before the break, a win that was further sweetened by second-placed Fenerbahce's goalless draw against Samsunspor on the same weekend.
Victor Osimhen stole the show with a hat-trick, taking his tally to 20 goals and moving to the top of the Super Lig scoring charts. With the title race entering its decisive phase, Okan Buruk will be delighted to have his star striker in peak form.
Galatasaray edged a 1-0 win on their last visit to Besiktas' ground, courtesy of an Al-Musrati own goal, and with a taxing cup tie on the horizon, the visitors would gladly take a similar outcome this time around.
Team News
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Besiktas will be without Felix Uduokhai, Emrecan Terzi, Emir Yasar and Bakhtiyor Zaynutdinov, who are all sidelined with injuries.
Club captain Necip Uysal remains out with a long-term injury and is not expected to return until April, while goalkeeper Mert Gunok is carrying a minor knock and will be assessed before kick-off.
The Black Eagles have struggled for composure in front of goal, and Italian forward Ciro Immobile will be eager to rediscover his scoring touch, having last netted from open play in mid-January.
For Galatasaray, Mauro Icardi remains out with a cruciate ligament injury that is set to rule him out for the rest of the season.
Ismail Jakobs continues to struggle with an Achilles issue, while Yunus Akgun is also unavailable due to injury.
Osimhen, fresh off scoring three goals in two matches for Nigeria during the international break, will be key to Buruk's plans as Galatasaray look to strengthen their grip on the title.
Besiktas possible starting lineup:
Gunok; Masuaku, Paulista,Topcu, Svensson; Fernandes, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Mario, Rafa, Rashica; Immobile
Galatasaray possible starting lineup:
Muslera; Elmali, Sanchez, Bardakci, Frankowski; Sallai, Torreira, Sara, Yilmaz; Osimhen, Morata
We say: Besiktas 1-1 Galatasaray
This promises to be another fiercely contested Istanbul derby, with physicality likely to take precedence over intricate football, and with Besiktas desperate to avoid a third consecutive defeat, they are expected to adopt a combative approach, though Galatasaray's superior quality should help them withstand the challenge, making a draw the most probable outcome.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
