Sporting Lisbon will be looking to extend their incredible form in the Primeira Liga when they head North to Vila do Conde to take on Rio Ave on Sunday evening.
The last time these sides met was back in September last year at Estadio Jose Alvalade, which Sporting went on to win 2-0 - a result that saw them take the lead in the league standings.
Match preview
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Since the reverse fixture, the lead in the Primeira Liga standings has changed hands a few times, and Sporting will hope that a win against this opponent will once again propel them to the top of the pile.
The Lions are currently level on 55 points with league leaders Benfica and are seven clear of Porto in third place, although they do have the significant advantage of having a game in hand on both of them.
Ruben Amorim's side secured their place in the Europa League round of 16 in midweek with a 1-1 draw against Young Boys (4-2 win on aggregate), which took their current unbeaten streak to six matches in all competitions.
In the league, though, Sporting are riding an eight-match winning streak dating back to mid-December, during which time they have found the net an incredible 31 times, including two or more goals in each of those games.
The visitors have also won four in a row on the road ahead of this fixture, and their only away defeats across the entire season so far were against top-five opponents Vitoria Guimaraes and Benfica.
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In complete contrast to the ambitions of their opponents, Rio Ave's primary goal this season will be to avoid the drop, having only managed 21 points in 22 matches and currently occupying the sole relegation playoff spot.
With Portimonense, Estoril and Estrela all failing to win their matches last weekend, Vilacondenses missed out on an opportunity to move up as many as three places in the table as they also suffered defeat, beaten 2-1 by Famalicao on the road.
Meanwhile, Chaves, who are the side below Rio Ave and the dotted line, pulled off a remarkable 2-1 win over Boavista with 10 men, cutting the gap to four points, and they have a better fixture this week against a stuttering Estrela.
The hosts also have a torrid run of fixtures on the horizon, with a trip to sixth-placed Moreirense to follow this match before they play host to an incoming Braga, who are fighting for a spot in Europe next season.
Luis Freire's side have not beaten this opponent in their last six attempts, losing four and drawing two, although they are unbeaten in their last six league games at Estadio do Rio Ave Futebol Clube (W3 D3 L0).
Team News
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Abdul-Aziz Yakubu has now featured in six consecutive matches since returning from his loan spell at Wuhan Three Towns and netted for a second match in a row last week, which should see him retain his place in attack.
Emmanuel Boateng returned to the squad last weekend after his one-match suspension and will be hoping for a starting role in this game. He could replace Joao Graca, who was hooked before the hour-mark in that match.
After a setback in his recovery, Jerry St Juste made a return to the squad for Sporting's Europa League clash with Young Boys, although he remained an unused substitute and will be hoping to get some minutes under his belt here.
Amorim has made a bit of a habit of shuffling his back line, and with the short turnaround from midweek, we could see Matheus Reis drop into the three-man defence and Ousmane Diomande given the afternoon off.
Rio Ave possible starting lineup:
Jhonatan; Sa, William, Nobrega; Costinha, Oudrhiri, Teixeira, Ronaldo; Embalo, Yakubu, Boateng
Sporting Lisbon possible starting lineup:
Adan; Quaresma, Reis, Inacio; Esgaio, Hjulmand, Pote, Santos; Braganca, Edwards; Gyokeres
We say: Rio Ave 1-3 Sporting Lisbon
Sporting have been in incredible league form lately and are scoring goals for fun both at home and on the road. The Lions have outscored this opponent 10-2 in their six-match unbeaten streak against them, and we feel they will add on a few more in this one en route to a comfortable victory.
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Devesh Jaganath
