The Turkish Super Lig continues with a battle of two relegation candidates as Umraniyespor host Hatayspor at Umraniye Hekimbasi Sehir Stadyumu in Istanbul.
Both sides occupy positions in the bottom four heading into this midweek clash, having only managed six wins between them so far this season.
Match preview
Umraniyespor ended 2022 in style with a surprise victory over Ankaragucu last week, with a brilliant brace from Durel Avounou securing all three points at Eryaman Stadyumu in Ankara.
That win was only the Istanbul-based club's second of this Super Lig campaign, a record which leaves them still stranded at the foot of the league standings as the season enters its second calendar year.
Recep Ucar's men are 19th in the league table, having collected just 10 points from their opening 15 matches, a tally which means they are five points from safety during their first season back at this level in many years.
The chances of Umraniyespor avoiding an immediate return to the second division will be dependent partly on the next three matches, in which two of them are against teams also in the relegation places at this stage of the season.
Hatayspor have struggled since returning to Turkish Super Lig football after the month-long hiatus due to the World Cup, collecting just one point in two matches, including being the victims of a rampant Fenerbahce side last time out.
Joshua King and Michy Batshuayi were amongst the scorers for Jorge Jesus's team as they ran out 4-0 winners, a result which meant the Star of the South dropped into the relegation places in the league standings.
Since gaining promotion from the second division of Turkey in the 2019-20 season, Hatayspor have achieved top-12 finishes in back-to-back campaigns, but now look set to battle the likes of Umraniyespor in order to retain their top-tier status for next term.
Volkan Demirel will need to find a way to get this side firing on their travels for the remainder of the season, with his side currently the league's least-potent attack in away matches, having netted just four times in eight clashes.
Team News
Umraniyespor will want to keep a level of consistency in their starting XI after a rare victory last time out, but Venezuelan Yonathan Del Valle and Turkey's Serkan Goksu could be dropped after being substituted at half time against Ankaragucu.
Adel Bettaieb and Oguz Gurbulak are the most likely two to replace that aforementioned duo, with 25-year-old Avounou assured of a place in the side after his brace in the last game.
Following the heavy defeat to high-flying Fenerbahce, Demirel is likely to make several changes to his starting XI, with 20-year-old Bertug Yildirim set to be preferred to Ze Luis at the centre of the Hatayspor attack.
Frenchman Rayane Aabid was at fault for one of Fenerbahce's goals last time out and may be taken out of the spotlight in this game, with Muhammed Mert a possible replacement in the midfield.
Umraniyespor possible starting lineup:
Kirintili; Popov, Allyson, Glumac, Atasayar; Gurbulak, Sackey, Avounou; Geraldo, Nayir, Bettaieb
Hatayspor possible starting lineup:
Kardesler; Corekci, Vranjes, Oksuz, Adekugbe; Ergun, Mert, Kaabi, Ribeiro, Lobzhanidze; Yildirim
We say: Umraniyespor 1-1 Hatayspor
Umraniyespor are coming into this game after a brilliant victory last time out but are still rooted to the bottom of the table as they look to record successive wins for the first time this season.
Hatayspor were simply outclassed at Fenerbahce in their last game, but a trip to Umraniyespor represents the perfect opportunity to begin 2023 with at least a point for their collection.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
