Still in search of a first league victory of the season, Trabzonspor will welcome Konyaspor to Papara Park on Sunday.
The hosts currently sit 14th in the Turkish Super Lig table having drawn each of their first five games thus far, while their visitors have climbed to eighth spot with a three-match unbeaten streak.
Match preview
© Imago
Trabzonspor will go in search of a first Turkish Super Lig victory of the campaign at the sixth time of asking on Sunday, having endured a particularly slow start in their bid to build on last season's third-placed finish.
The 2021-22 champions have drawn each of their first five matches in Turkey's top flight, with no other side in the division having scored or conceded fewer than the three goals they have seen at each end of the pitch.
After kicking off with back-to-back stalemates against Sivasspor and Eyupspor, alongside a departure from Europa Conference League qualifying at the hands of St Gallen, the Karadeniz Firtinasi, under the new management of Senol Gunes who returns for a fifth spell in charge, took a creditable point from a 1-1 draw with Besiktas, having been reduced to 10 men in the 13th minute, only for Okay Yokuslu to give them the lead soon after.
Gunes is still yet to inspire a first victory, though, as they then hosted Kayserispor and only salvaged a point from a 2-2 draw thanks to Umut Bozok's 89th-minute goal and Stefano Denswil's 98th-minute equaliser, before most recently visiting Gaziantep on Monday and again settling for a share of the spoils having failed to break the deadlock.
Now already trailing the top four by seven points at this early stage of the term, Trabzonspor will be desperate to end their slow spell and put a first notch in their wins column on Sunday to kickstart a climb up the table.
In their way stand a Konyaspor team who will bid to extend their unbeaten streak following a pleasing start to their own campaign in Turkey's top flight.
After finishing a single point above the relegation zone last time around, Sunday's visitors currently sit eighth having earned eight points from their first six outings.
The Anadolu Kartali did see a winning start followed up by back-to-back defeats in August, but they have since bounced back in creditable fashion, firstly taking a point from a draw with Kayserispor before picking up a hard-fought win away at in-form Samsunspor as Pedrinho netted the only goal of the game in the first half.
Ali Camdali's side now head back out on the road following a goalless stalemate with ninth-placed Sivasspor last weekend, and, having won two of their three away league games so far this term, they will bid to put another three points on the board at Papara Park.
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Team News
Trabzonspor have an unenviable injury list to contend with heading into the weekend, as Stefan Savic, Arseniy Batagov, Huseyin Turkmen and Enis Destan are set to remain confined to the treatment room while winger Cihan Canak is a fresh concern after last week's draw with Gaziantep.
Given their absences at the back, Stefano Denswil and Batista Mendy should again partner up in the middle of the defence, while Turkish internationals Okay Yokuslu and Ozan Tufan should continue in the engine room despite competition from John Lundstram.
Edin Visca will return to take Canak's place on the wing after serving a suspension last time out, while Simon Banza should get the nod over Umut Bozok to lead the line with support from Muhammed Cham.
Ali Camdali could again field the same Konyaspor starting XI that has yielded four points in their last two games, with Nikola Boranijasevic, Adil Demirbag, Riechedly Bazoer and Guilherme bound to line up in an unchanged back four following consecutive clean sheets.
Umut Nayir should again get the nod to spearhead the attack, while Pedrinho is a danger man in support, having netted three goals in five appearances following his summer arrival from CSKA 1948 Sofia.
Danijel Aleksic will offer further attacking threat through the centre, while Marko Jevtovic and Ufuk Akyol will continue their partnership at the base of the midfield.
Trabzonspor possible starting lineup:
Cakir; Malheiro, Mendy, Denswil, Elmali; Yokuslu, Tufan; Visca, Cham, Bardhi; Banza
Konyaspor possible starting lineup:
Slowik; Boranijasevic, Demirbag, Bazoer, Guilherme; Jevtovic, Akyol; Pedrinho, Aleksic, Ndao; Nayir
We say: Trabzonspor 1-1 Konyaspor
Trabzonspor are certainly yet to kick into gear this season, having been left frustrated in draws on several occasions, and with Konyaspor travelling with confidence on the back of a solid start, we anticipate another share of the spoils on Sunday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Sam Varley
