Degerfors can move above Varnamo in the Swedish Allsvenskan table by beating them on Saturday.
Varnamo are one point ahead of their forthcoming opponents with a game in hand, with both sides occupying the two positions directly above the relegation zone.
Match preview
Having only survived on goal difference last season, Degerfors appear set to be embroiled in a third successive battle against relegation after losing their last two matches prior to the Swedish season taking a mini-break.
Bruket have finished 13th in each of their two seasons in the top flight following their promotion in 2020, which saw them compete in the Allsvenskan for the first time since being relegated in 1997.
Degerfors have never won Sweden's top division, with their most successful seasons coming when finishing as runners-up in 1941 and 1963, but those days are a long way from returning based on their trajectory in recent years.
Despite comfortably possessing the worst goal difference in the entire division, largely due to conceding 34 goals in 13 matches, head coaches Tobias Solberg and Andreas Holmberg have guided their side four points clear of safety ahead of their meeting against Varnamo, which they will view as a real opportunity to return to winning ways.
Varnamo, meanwhile, ended up finishing in a respectable 10th position following their title-winning campaign in the second tier in the previous season.
Former Norrkoping assistant manager Kim Hellberg was selected to lead the team when appointed as head coach in December 2021, and he has not let Varnamo down so far, even if four defeats from their last five games has left them in a difficult position.
Having conceded 16 goals from 12 games, though, they are clearly much tougher to score against than their forthcoming opponents, which should bode well between now and the end of the season with every point gained invaluable towards the bottom of the table.
Hellberg will be determined for his players to at least avoid defeat at Stora Valla on Saturday, to ensure that they do not fall closer to the relegation zone, at least in terms of their position in the table.
Team News
Degerfors will be without Diego Campos, as the winger has been called up by Costa Rica for international duty.
The 27-year-old will be a tough act to follow in attack after scoring in his side's 2-1 defeat to Kalmar last time out, with Nikola Djurdjic potentially set to lead the hosts' line in his teammate's absence.
Varnamo, meanwhile, could recall Ajdin Veljkovic to their starting XI after only utilising the winger from the bench during their 3-1 defeat to Malmo last time out.
Otherwise, Hellberg is unlikely to throw the baby out with the bath water after taking the lead against their more illustrious opponents, and generally giving a good account of themselves despite falling to an expected loss.
Degerfors possible starting lineup:
Olsson; Granath, Korac, Ohlsson; Bouzaiene, Orqvist, Gravius, Gyau; Morfelt, Lindgren; Djurdjic
Varnamo possible starting lineup:
Rasheed; Larsson, Eriksson, Grozdanic, Bergh; Thern, Nasstrom, Wenderson; Ademi, Johansson, Engvall
We say: Degerfors 1-1 Varnamo
With both teams currently on course to achieve their primary aim of survival, we can envisage them adopting a safety first approach in this match.
Degerfors have been conceding far too many goals so far this season, so it would be little surprise to see them attempt to tighten things up. We are a predicting a low-scoring draw.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Brett Curtis
