Las Palmas will be aiming to make it four wins in a row in all competitions when they welcome Cadiz to Estadio Gran Canaria on Sunday evening.
Garcia Pimienta's side have performed above expectations in La Liga this season, picking up 24 points from 16 matches to sit in eighth spot in the table, while Cadiz are 17th, boasting only 13 points from their 16 league fixtures in 2023-24.
Match preview
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Las Palmas secured a return to La Liga as the 2022-23 Segunda Division runners-up, and they are aiming to make it successive seasons at this level of football for the first time since 2018.
Los Amarillos boast a record of seven wins, three draws and six defeats from their 16 league matches this season, which has left them in eighth position in the table on 24 points, just two points behind seventh-placed Real Betis heading into this weekend's fixtures.
Garcia Pimienta's side have won each of their last three matches, beating Tudelano in the Copa del Rey either side of league successes over Getafe and Alaves.
Las Palmas will take on Athletic Bilbao in their final match of 2023 and Barcelona in their opening game of 2024, and positive results in both of those matches would fuel suggestions that the club are more than capable of claiming a top-half finish on their return to this level.
La Union Deportiva have lost each of their last four matches against Cadiz, though, all of which have come in the Segunda Division, including a 2-1 reverse in their last meeting in February 2020.
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Cadiz, meanwhile, will enter this match off the back of a 1-1 draw with Osasuna last weekend, with the result leaving them in 17th position in the table on 13 points.
The Yellow Submarine have won two, drawn seven and lost seven of their 16 La Liga matches this season, and they are only three points ahead of the relegation zone.
Sergio Gonzalez's side suffered a 2-1 loss to Arandina in the Copa del Rey on December 7, which was a shock result considering that their opponents operate in the fourth tier of Spanish football.
Cadiz have drawn each of their last three league matches, though, playing out stalemates with Mallorca, Celta Vigo and Osasuna, with their last victory proving to be a 3-1 home success over Villarreal on September 1.
Gonzalez's team could find themselves in the relegation zone heading into the winter break if they suffer two poor results against Cadiz and Real Sociedad, and their attacking output this season has been incredibly disappointing, scoring just 13 times in 16 games, which is the worst record in the division.
Team News
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Las Palmas will again be missing Fabio Gonzalez on Sunday due to an ankle problem, while Sergi Cardona is suspended due to the yellow card that he picked up against Alaves last time out.
Marvin Park is therefore expected to come into the side, but it could otherwise be the same XI that took to the field for the first whistle of the one-goal success last weekend.
Las Palmas are the second-lowest goalscorers in the league this season with 14, which is incredible considering their position in the table, but they have the second-best defensive record, only conceding 13 times, and head coach Garcia Pimienta should therefore continue with the same system.
As for Cadiz, Gonzalo Escalante and Luis Hernandez are both doubts this weekend, while Rominigue Kouame will definitely miss the match due to a thigh problem.
Head coach Sergio is not expected to make changes to the side that started against Osasuna, as there were certainly positives from the performance.
Ruben Sobrino is perhaps the player pushing hardest to come into the side, but Darwin Machis should retain his spot, with Roger and Chris Ramos continuing as the front two.
Las Palmas possible starting lineup:
Valles; Araujo, Coco, Marmol, Park; El Haddadi, Munoz, Loiodice, K Rodriguez, Moleiro; M Cardona
Cadiz possible starting lineup:
Ledesma; Carcelen, Fali, Mbaye, J Hernandez; Alejo, A Fernandez, Alcaraz, Machis; Ramos, Roger
We say: Las Palmas 1-0 Cadiz
Matches involving Las Palmas this season have not exactly been high-scoring affairs, and we are expecting another tight game on Sunday. Cadiz find it difficult to score, so we are predicting a clean sheet for Las Palmas, and the hosts should have enough quality to find a goal at some stage of the contest.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Matt Law
