Halmstads BK will aim to extend their cushion above the relegation zone when they host league leaders Malmo at Orjans Vall in gameweek 18 of the Swedish Allsvenskan on Saturday.
The hosts are five points clear of the automatic relegation places and just three points above the relegation play-off spot, while the visitors hold a three-point advantage at the summit of the table.
Match preview
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Halmstad's inconsistent form continued with a 4-1 defeat at Brommapojkarna last weekend, following on from a victory over Varnamo.
HBK's 21 points have been accrued from seven wins, and they are the only top-flight side yet to draw a game this season, with their other ten matches ending in defeat.
Magnus Haglund's side have lost four of their last five matches, leaving them in 11th place with 21 points as the Allsvenskan enters gameweek 18, closer to the drop zone than they would have liked.
However, their situation could worsen when they face league-best Malmo FF, a side they have not beaten for close to a decade and a half, as far back as 2008.
Halmstad are also on a four-match losing streak against Saturday's opponents and will rely on their decent home form to salvage something from the game.
![Malmos Sebastian Nanasi scores 2 1 during Fridays football match in the Allsvenskan between Sirius and Malmo FF at Studenternas arena in Uppsala [on July 20, 2024]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/29/sebastian-nanasi.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Malmos Sebastian Nanasi scores 2 1 during Fridays football match in the Allsvenskan between Sirius and Malmo FF at Studenternas arena in Uppsala [on July 20, 2024]")
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Malmo were held to a 2-2 draw by Greek side PAOK in the first leg of their Champions League third qualifying round tie on Tuesday evening.
Back on domestic duty, Henrik Rydstrom's side lost their last league game against Sirius (1-0), extending their winless run to three matches having also lost 3-2 to KI in the second leg of their second round Champions League qualifier.
Nevertheless, they remain three points clear at the top of the Allsvenskan despite losing two of their last three league outings, but they will be wary of dropping further points as second-placed Djurgarden close in.
With Malmo's focus partly on the second leg of their Champions League qualifier after missing out on European football last season, they will hope this game does not take too much out of them.
However, with only two wins from their last seven away matches across all competitions, the visitors have been unable to replicate their earlier season form.
Team News
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Halmstad will remain without top scorer Naeem Mohammed, who sustained a cruciate ligament tear in May and has now been ruled out for the rest of the season.
Villiam Granath has scored three goals in 16 league appearances, and he will be one of the players to watch out for in this clash.
Malmo will be without a host of players due to injury, including Oscar Lewicki who sustained a cruciate ligament tear in January, and Daniel Gudjohnsen who has a back injury.
Stefano Vecchia (back), Anton Tinnerholm (groin) and Niklas Moisander (knee) are also sidelined and are expected to miss this clash.
Otto Rosengren is also out for this encounter after the midfielder crossed the yellow card threshold.
Halmstads BK possible starting lineup:
Erlandsson; Boman, Wallentin, Baffo, Olsson; Eyjolfsson, Maenpaa, Allansson, Nogueira; Granath, Ingason
Malmo possible starting lineup:
Friedrich; Larsen, Jansson, Zatterstrom, Busanello; Ali, Pena, Johnsen, Bolin; Nanasi, Thelin
We say: Halmstads BK 1-3 Malmo
Malmo have seen their lead at the top cut short in recent weeks, and they will be desperate to regain their advantage, which could see them raise their game and prove too strong for a Halmstads side that have struggled in this fixture.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
