On Sunday, Cercle Brugge will play host to city rivals Club Brugge, with the home side looking to return to winning ways after a defeat last weekend ended a four game-winning run in the Belgian Pro League.
Meanwhile, the visitors sit in second position and will be aiming to extend their unbeaten run to five games in all competitions.
Match preview
After 15 league games, Cercle Brugge were left languishing in 17th position, but they responded with four consecutive victories to climb up to 14th place.
However, their winning run was ended last weekend by league leaders Union SG, with Cercle Brugge squandering a two-goal lead.
Goals from Edgaras Utkus and Rabbi Matondo gave Dominik Thalhammer's side a comfortable lead at the break, but Union Saint-Gilloise pulled level thanks to strikes from Kaoru Mitoma and Bart Nieuwkoop before Jesper Daland's own goal in stoppage time condemned Cercle Brugge to a 3-2 defeat.
That defeat leaves Sunday's hosts looking over their shoulder with only three points separating themselves and the relegation playoff place.
Although Thalhammer will be disappointed by last weekend's defeat, he will be pleased that after starting the season without a win in their first eight home league matches that they have begun to find their feet on home soil after winning their last two games at the Jan Breydel Stadium.
As for Club Brugge, they may be the designated away team, but they will be familiar with their surroundings given the fact that they play at the same stadium as their local rivals.
Phillipe Clement's side are facing a battle to win their third consecutive league title as they enter Sunday's fixture six points behind Union SG.
Although they may be trailing their title rivals, spirits will be high in the away dressing room as Club Brugge have lost just two league games this season.
They head into Sunday's encounter unbeaten in their last five league games after a late Hans Vanaken strike salvaged a 2-2 draw at home to Anderlecht last weekend, while they would have been buoyed by a 4-1 win over OH Leuven in midweek, which saw them progress to the Belgium Cup semi-finals.
Having scored 15 goals in their last five league matches, Club Brugge will be confident that they possess the required firepower to edge out their rivals in the Bruges derby on Sunday.
- L
- W
- W
- W
- W
- L
- W
- L
- W
- W
- W
- L
- L
- W
- W
- W
- W
- D
- W
- L
- W
- W
- D
- W
Team News
The hosts will have to change their centre back pairing for Sunday's encounter with Daland suspended for an accumulation of yellow cards, while Utkus had to be withdrawn after 20 minutes last weekend due to injury.
That is likely to lead to David Sousa and Boris Popovic both coming into the centre of defence for the derby.
Meanwhile, Charles Vanhoutte is expected to replace the suspended Leonardo Lopes, who is also missing due to an accumulation of yellow cards.
As for Club Brugge, their only know absentee is Ruben Providence, who is out with an ankle injury.
Despite playing a cup quarter-final in midweek, Club Brugge are expected to name an unchanged lineup.
Having scored five goals in his last four competitive outings, Charles De Ketelaere will pose a significant goal threat for the away side on Sunday.
Cercle Brugge possible starting lineup:
Didillon; Decostere, Popovic, Sousa, Velkovski; Hotic, Van der Bruggen, Vanhoutte; Somers, Deman, Matondo
Club Brugge possible starting lineup:
Mignolet; Mata, Hendry, Mechele, Sobol; Rits, Balanta, Vanaken; Vormer, Lang, De Ketelaere
We say: Cercle Brugge 1-2 Club Brugge
Having won four of the last five meetings between the sides, we think that Club Brugge will possess too much quality for their neighbours on Sunday, and though it may be close, we expect the away side to collect all three points.
Top tip
body check tags ::
Previews by email
