Preview: Portimonense vs. Porto - prediction, team news, lineups

Porto will be looking to continue their pursuit of Sporting Lisbon at the top of the Primeira Liga table on Saturday when they travel to the Estadio Municipal de Portimao to take on Portimonense.

Sergio Conceicao's side will have their sights set on a third consecutive league victory, while the hosts will be looking to bounce back from a 2-0 defeat to Santa Clara last time out.

Match preview

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Portimonense suffered an away defeat last time out, losing 2-0 away at Santa Clara after goals from Rui Costa and Carlos.

Before that, Paulo Sergio's side recorded an impressive victory, as a Beto brace and an Aylton Boa Morte goal fired them to a 3-0 home win over 11th-placed Tondela.

The Algarve outfit now sit in 12th spot in the top flight, thanks to a slight upturn in results which has seen them pick up a commendable tally of eight points from their last six league games.

However, that is by no means a safe position, as they remain just two points ahead of Boavista in the relegation playoff place, and three points above the automatic drop zone.

As a result, any dip in form could see Sergio's men quickly dragged back down into the bottom three, and he will be desperate not to let that happen.

However, they host a Porto side who will be looking to make up ground on the league leaders with another victory on Saturday.

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Porto recorded a second consecutive league victory last time out, as Pepe and Sergio Oliveira fired them to a 2-0 home win over fifth-placed Pacos de Ferreira.

Before that, the Portuguese giants secured their place in the final eight of the Champions League with an aggregate victory over Juventus on away goals, having won the first leg 2-1 at home.

Oliveira doubled their lead with a penalty after 19 minutes, but a Federico Chiesa brace took the game to extra time, and the task looked especially tough for Porto after Mehdi Taremi was shown a red card.

Oliveira then scored a free kick in extra time to get a second away goal for his side, and Adrien Rabiot's header soon after was not enough for the Italian side to overcome the away goals advantage, with Porto advancing through as a result.

Conceicao will now turn his attention firmly back to domestic action, as the Dragoes look to reduce the 10-point gap between themselves and Sporting Lisbon at the summit of the top flight.

Team News

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Portimonense will be without midfielder Ewerton for this game, after he picked up his fifth yellow card of the season last time out, triggering a one-match suspension for the Brazilian.

New recruit Giannelli Imbula remains ineligible to play for his new team.

They will also be without Lucas Fernandes, Pedro Sa and Lucas Tagliapietra, with all three players remaining out of contention due to injuries.

Porto have managed to keep their squad in good shape this campaign, with Ivan Marcano remaining the only injury concern.

The centre-back pairing of Pepe and Chancel Mbemba impressed as they ground out the aggregate victory over Juventus in Turin, and they will partner up again at the back on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Sergio Oliveira offers a major attacking threat from midfield, with only Sporting Lisbon's Pedro Goncalves and Benfica's Haris Seferovic netting more than his 11 Primeira Liga goals this season.

Portimonense possible starting lineup:
Samuel; Moufi, Rocha, Antonio, Anzai; Boa Morte, Clemente, Poha, Luquinha, Da Silva; Beto

Porto possible starting lineup:
Marchesin; Manafa, Mbemba, Pepe, Sanusi; Corona, Oliveira, Uribe, Diaz; Taremi, Marega

We say: Portimonense 0-2 Porto

The visitors come into this game in a good patch of form, and we see them having too much quality for Portimonense, even despite their recent upturn in form.

Os Dragoes cannot afford to lose any more ground on Sporting Lisbon, and we think that will drive them to build a strong winning run in the top flight, stretching that to three games with an away victory on Saturday.