Samsunspor play host to Sivasspor on Sunday looking for the win that will keep them very much in the race for third place in the Super Lig table.
Meanwhile, Sivasspor head into this encounter sitting three points adrift of safety and ideally needing a victory to stay competitive in the hunt for survival.
Match preview
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Having guaranteed at least a place in the Conference League qualifying rounds, Samsunspor can claim to have broken new ground this season with a top-five finish.
However, responding from a four-game losing streak with a two-match winning run has kept Thomas Reis and his squad in the running for third and a Europa League playoff spot.
Victories over Bodrumspor and Eyupsor - the latter by a 3-0 scoreline - has also moved the club six points clear of fifth-placed Istanbul Basiksehir.
With Besiktas one of the form teams in the division and with a favourable run-in, even three more wins this campaign may not be enough to break into the top three.
Nevertheless, Reis and his players can afford to enjoy this moment and attack every game, aware that a draw may leave them with too much ground to make up providing that Besiktas win their next fixture.
In sharp contrast, Sivasspor face the prospect of potentially needing to win their remaining two games to have any chance of avoiding relegation.
Even accumulating four points from their most recent three games - and only losing to Galatasaray - has failed to put Riza Calimbay's side into a favourable position.
That said, there is the carrot of facing Alanyaspor - who sit three points above the drop zone - in their final match, there being potential of what could effectively become a one-game shootout.
Sivasspor have been abysmal in away matches this season, however, with 12 defeats coming from 16 such games and their last league win on their travels occurring in October.
Team News
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Marius Mouandilmadji is an option to come back into the Samsunspor XI on the back of netting as a substitute last time out.
However, a change in formation would likely be needed to accommodate that inclusion, and Reis may prefer to stick with a 4-2-3-1.
Landry Dimata has netted three times in his last two outings and should retain his spot down the middle of the attack with Reis potentially selecting an unchanged team.
Minimal alterations are expected to be made to the Sivasspor side, particularly in defence after the clean sheet versus Bodrum.
Turac Boke, Emrah Bassan and Veljko Simic are all options to come into the final third, the former most likely with four goals and one assist coming from just 845 minutes of football this campaign.
Samuel Moutoussamy should take his place in one of the central-midfield positions despite his lack of goal return in 2024-25.
Samsunspor possible starting lineup:
Kocuk; Yavru, Satka, Cift, Bola; Yuksel, Ntcham; Schlindler, Holse, Kilinc; Dimata
Sivasspor possible starting lineup:
Vural; Paluli, Radakovic, Camara, Ciftci; Cigerci; Koita, Moutoussamy, Charisis, Rodrigues; Manaj
We say: Samsunspor 2-1 Sivasspor
With the pressure ramped up on both sides, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that the visitors upset the odds here. However, we can only back Samsunspor to record a third victory in succession as they bid to earn a spot in the Europa League qualifying rounds.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Darren Plant
