A tantalizing mid-table battle unfolds at the Fatih Terim Stadium as Istanbul Basaksehir host Alanyaspor on Saturday afternoon in the Turkish Super Lig.
Both teams are currently separated by one spot and one point, with the hosts sitting in 11th while the visitors are 12th heading into this match.
Match preview
Basaksehir continued their impressive form with a 3-0 victory away at Kasimpasa last time out, extending their unbeaten run to six matches in all competitions.
Goals from Serdar Gurler, Philippe Keny and Jerome Opoku helped the Grey Owls cruise to a comfortable victory over the Apaches.
Cagdas Atan's side have now claimed four wins and two draws, including a 2-0 cup victory over Sanliurfaspor, since a 3-2 loss at Caykur Rizespor on December 2.
Despite having an underwhelming first half of the season, Basaksehir find themselves in 11th place with 23 points, five points above the dotted line, just past the midway point of the campaign.
Back at home this weekend, Atan's side will look to extend their unbeaten streak on home turf to eight matches in all competitions, last losing at the Fatih Terim Stadium in September against Galatasaray.
After enduring a tough start to the campaign, Alanyaspor turned the tides in December, which has now seen them rise to 12th place in the Super Lig standings.
A dismal start saw Alanya pick up just 10 points from their first 13 matches while languishing near the bottom, but Fatih Tekke's appointment in November sparked a dramatic turnaround, which has now seen them bag more points in their last six outings than they did in their first 13.
A 1-1 draw with Ankaragucu last time out saw them extend their unbeaten run to six matches in the league and seven in all competitions, which included a 1-0 win over Kocaelispor to advance into the fifth round of the Turkish Cup.
Their next challenge comes against an opponent they have beaten in their last two meetings, but their last trip to this stadium ended in defeat.
Alanyaspor are currently enjoying their best run on the road this season, a three-game streak, with two wins and a draw, one which they will hope to preserve on Saturday.
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Team News
Basaksehir will have to cope without 29-year-old defender Edgar Ie, who is currently away on international duty with the Guinea-Bissau national team.
Atan will also be unable to name the midfield duo of Efe Arda Koyuncu and 25-year-old Patryk Szysz, who have been ruled out through hamstring and ACL injuries respectively.
Turkish goalkeeper Muhammed Sengezer has been out of action since coming off with a severe thigh injury against Konyaspor on September 2 and is doubtful for Saturday's tie.
Meanwhile, Loide Augusto is away on international duty with Angola at the Africa Cup of Nations and is unavailable for the visitors.
Leroy Fer will also miss out as he serves a one-match suspension after receiving a straight red card against Ankaragucu last time out, with Nicolas Janvier likely to take his place in the starting lineup.
Veteran Efecan Karaca should again get the nod to lead the line, while Ertugrul Taskiran remains in between the sticks.
Istanbul Basaksehir possible starting lineup:
Babacan; Dubois, Duarte, Ba, Lima; Turuc; Figueiredo, Abeid, Ozcan, Pelkas; Piatek
Alanyaspor possible starting lineup:
Taskiran; Hadergjonaj, Lima, Aliti, Balkovec; Richard, Novais; Aydin, Janvier, Ozdemir; Karaca
We say: Istanbul Basaksehir 1-1 Alanyaspor
Expect a thrilling encounter with both sides seeking to impose their attacking philosophies. Basaksehir's home advantage might give them a slight edge, but Alanyaspor's newfound confidence makes them a dangerous opponent. We are settling for a stalemate in this one, with both sides preserving their unbeaten streaks.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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