Relegation candidates Istanbulspor have the arduous task of travelling to champions Trabzonspor in the Super Lig this Sunday.
It has been a disappointing title defence so far for Trabzonspor though, as they sit 10 points off the summit.
Match preview
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Trabzonspor's away form continues to plague their Super Lig title defence this season.
It is approaching two years since they lost a domestic home fixture, but shocking 4-1 and 5-0 losses at Fatih Karagumruk and Alanyaspor respectively mean they are continuously losing ground.
Barely averaging a point per game on the road while the runaway top two average at least two suggests why there is such a gulf between the sides so far.
Abdullah Avci's side have not won in 90 minutes away from home in their last seven fixtures in all competitions, so they will be glad to be back on home turf for this encounter.
Trabzonspor have won all four games at the Akyazi Stadium since the return of club football, including notable wins over Fenerbahce and Istanbul Basaksehir - two sides currently in the top three.
They are still fighting on three fronts too after a tense cup win in midweek over Umraniyespor.
They needed extra time to beat the side currently bottom of the Super Lig, but they blew away their opponents in the latter stages of the additional period, scoring three goals to win 4-1.
Istanbulspor also celebrated a win over Umraniyespor in the last week, and theirs was crucial as it moved them off the bottom of the standing at the expense of their opponents, but they are still in the relegation zone, three points from safety.
That result away from home means they now have double the amount of points on the road than they have picked up at home.
The form of Valon Ethemi looks like it will be paramount if Istanbulspor are to avoid an immediate relegation back to the second tier.
The Macedonian has scored in three of his last four outings and been involved in 10 of Istanbulspor's 18 league goals this season, scoring seven.
For a player playing in his debut top flight season at this level, for a side near the bottom, he has got a fantastic record, as only four Super Lig players have contributed to more goals, and one of them, Wout Weghorst, has just been signed by Manchester United.
Fatih Tekke's side are tasked with ending a run of nine games without a win against Trabzonspor here (two draws, seven defeats), dating back to 2001.
Team News
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Trabzonspor will remain without Edin Visca after the Bosnian international fractured his collarbone just weeks after returning from a broken arm, which kept him out of action for four months earlier in the season.
Avci rested most of his regular starters for the cup tie at Umraniyespor, with Ugurcan Cakir and Vitor Hugo the only two to play 120 minutes.
Serkan Asan and Dorukhan Tokoz both remain sidelined with long-term injuries for the champions.
Eslem Ozturk and Denis Kovacevic are the only two absentees for Istanbulspor going into this fixture.
Emeka Eze made his debut against Umraniyespor after the peculiar loan swap deal, which sent Istanbulspor's regular starting striker, Ibrahim Yilmaz, in the other direction to second-tier Eyupspor.
Trabzonspor possible starting lineup:
Cakir; Bruno Peres, Bartra, Vitor Hugo, Elmali; Siopis, Omur, Bakasetas; Yazici, Gomez, Trezeguet
Istanbulspor possible starting lineup:
Arda; Duhaney, Erdogan, Yesil, Aksu; Rroca, Kabasakal, Topalli; Gultekin, Eze, Ethemi
We say: Trabzonspor 3-0 Istanbulspor
An astronomical unbeaten run at home should continue here for Trabzonspor, as they attempt to claw themselves back into the hunt at the top.
Istanbulspor have been better away from home, but did suffer a 6-0 loss at Adana Demirspor just a few weeks ago, and an on-form Trabzonspor side are capable of producing something similar.
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Top tip
Andrew Delaney
