Last-placed FK Haugesund will host Norwegian giants Bodo/Glimt at Haugesund Sparebank Arena on Sunday in their 10th Eliteserien game of the season.
The home side are 16th with just one point and boss Sancheev Manoharan was sacked following his side's 2-0 loss against Brann on May 25, while Bodo/Glimt are sixth with 13 points but lost 4-2 against league-leaders Viking FK on Wednesday.
Match preview
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Haugesund generated just two shots on target in their clash against Brann while only producing 0.33 xG, whereas the victors managed to produce nearly three xG.
The club are already seven points and three places from automatic safety, as well as two places and five points from the league's relegation playoff spot, and they have played a game more than the four teams immediately above them.
With first-team coach Paul Andre Farstad also fired in the aftermath of the defeat against Brann, it is unclear at this stage who will take charge on Sunday, but the coach in the dugout will inherit a side that have lost six consecutive games.
In that losing streak, the hosts conceded 16 goals while only scoring four times, failing to find the back of the net in their two most recent matches.
Maakene are also winless in their four fixtures at Haugesund Sparebank Arena this term - succumbing to defeat on three occasions - and they rank as the division's second-worst side at home having collected just one point.
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Opponents Bodo/Glimt were leading 2-1 against Viking when they were reduced to 10 men in the 63rd minute, and Jostein Gundersen's dismissal proved to be a turning point given they mustered just one attempt inside the box following the red card.
Manager Kjetil Knutsen will be alarmed by his side's poor form given the club have lost five of their last six, as many defeats as they had experienced in their prior 27 outings.
The visitors have also only kept one clean sheet in their past six, a period in which they conceded 12 goals.
Superlaget come into Sunday's matchup having lost three consecutive fixtures on the road, though they were unbeaten in their previous five away from home, achieving victory four times.
Bodo/Glimt boast a phenomenal record against their hosts, with the club emerging victorious in eight of their last 12 against Haugesund, avoiding defeat in the other four matches.
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Team News
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Haugesund will be without centre-back Ilir Kukleci and goalkeeper Jasper Silva Torkildsen, so perhaps shot-stopper Amund Wichne will be protected by Madiodio Dia, Mikkel Fischer and Parfait Bizoza.
Morten Agnes Konradsen and Julius Eskesen may be stationed in midfield behind an attacking unit featuring Troy Nyhammer, Sander Innvaer and Sory Diarra.
Opponents Bodo/Glimt do not have many concerns regarding availability, though centre-back Gundersen was sent off last time out, while right-back Daniel Bassi has only recently returned to training.
Gundersen could be replaced in a back four by Odin Luras Bjortuft, who is likely to be joined by defenders Fredrik Sjovold, Haitam Aleesami and Fredrik Andre Bjorkan.
In midfield, expect Hakon Evjen and Patrick Berg to be paired together in midfield behind strikers Kasper Hogh and Jens Petter Hauge.
FK Haugesund possible starting lineup:
Wichne; Dia, Fischer, Bizoza; Solheim, Konradsen, Eskesen, Krusnell; Nyhammer, Innvaer; Diarra
Bodo/Glimt possible starting lineup:
Haikin; Sjovold, Bjortuft, Aleesami, Bjorkan; Blomberg, Evjen, Berg, Saltnes; Hogh, Hauge
We say: FK Haugesund 1-2 Bodo/Glimt
While Bodo/Glimt are in poor form, dropping points against last-placed Haugesund would be a concerning new low.
The hosts could find the back of the net on Sunday, but it is hard to see them avoiding defeat considering the instability at the club.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Lewis Nolan
