Preview: Santos vs. Corinthians - prediction, team news, lineups

Following their first win in four Campeonato Brasileiro games last week, Santos welcome mid-table counterparts Corinthians to Estadio Urbano Caldeira on Sunday.

Separated by just two points in the Serie A standings, the Sao Paulo rivals are both seeking a win to stay in the hunt for Copa Libertadores qualification at the end of the campaign.

Match preview

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Having cruised to a 4-0 win in the first leg of their Copa do Brasil last-16 tie against fourth-tier Juazeirense last week, it was perhaps no surprise that Santos took their foot off the gas in the return game, but a 2-0 loss to such lowly opponents on Thursday was still another unwanted reverse.

Before beating rock-bottom Chapecoense last weekend, Peixe had won just one of their six previous league matches and are treading water in eighth place in the standings heading into Sunday's Classico Alvinegro - so named because both sides wear black and white.

Since the start of last year, the clubs have met on four occasions in Brasileiro and Paulista competition, but Santos have won just one of those encounters, losing twice - including April's 2-1 defeat on home soil.

The side overseen by one-time Corinthians player Fernando Diniz is clearly undergoing a period of transition, after they reached the delayed final of the 2020 Copa Libertadores but lost to local rivals Palmeiras after a devastating stoppage-time goal. In the aftermath, head coach Cuca announced his departure and Argentinian tactician Ariel Holan was hired in his place, but did not last long.

Now, current coach Diniz can look forward to upcoming quarter-finals in both the Copa Sudamericana and Copa do Brasil, so will want to build a winning sequence in the league before turning his attention back to the knockout competitions.

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Flattened by unstoppable Flamengo last time out in the league, Corinthians have lost three of their last four fixtures to slip behind Santos in the Serie A standings, to 11th place.

As they have been largely inconsistent throughout the 2021 campaign so far, former Lyon manager Sylvinho - whose failed tenure at the French club ended both swiftly and ignominiously - is under increasing pressure to improve performances and results.

Under the former Arsenal full-back, Corinthians have apparently focused on limiting the number of opportunities offered to opponents, but as a result, they have only once scored more than a single goal in a game themselves. The Timao have failed to find the net with any regularity, and no side above them in the table has registered fewer than their meagre tally of 12 league goals.

Until Flamengo's 3-1 win at Neo Quimica Arena, they had also not lost by more than one goal either, so thrills have been few and far between.

Their interest in the cup competitions has long since ended too, so Sylvinho has no excuses for failing to transmit ideas to his players, having been afforded plenty of time on the training ground in recent weeks. Certainly, the club's increasingly impatient fans will hope the man who represented them 136 times at the start of his playing career can soon find a winning formula.

Team News

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Santos wonderkid Kaio Jorge has travelled to Turin to sign for Italian giants Juventus, so has already played his final game for the club.

Joint-top scorer Marinho returns from suspension on Sunday though, so should come straight back into the side, but long-term injury victims Jobson and John remain sidelined.

The hosts' coach, Fernando Diniz, is likely to revert to a much more familiar XI, having made a raft of changes for the cup defeat in midweek, with Marcos Leonardo favourite to lead the attack again following Kaio Jorge's departure.

Meanwhile, Corinthians are set to be without back-up striker Gabriel Pereira (thigh), plus two younger players recovering from ACL injuries - Ruan Oliveira and Gustavo Mantuan.

As ever, Brazil goalkeeper Cassio will captain the side behind Sylvinho's preferred back four, with veteran striker Jo - on four league goals so far - starting in a lone role up front.

Santos possible starting lineup:
Paulo; Madson, Felipe, Kaiky, Jonatan; Camacho, Mota; Braga, Sanchez, Marinho; Leonardo

Corinthians possible starting lineup:
Cassio; Fagner, Victor, Gil, Santos; Cantillo, Gabriel; Gustavo, Roni, Adson; Jo

We say: Santos 1-1 Corinthians

Santos are far short of peak form, but are still favourites for this Sao Paulo derby, and will be tasked with taking the initiative. However, in Kaio Jorge's lamented absence, they certainly have fewer options in attack, so may struggle to break down their local rivals.

Despite leaking three goals against fearless Flamengo last time out, Corinthians still have one of the better defensive records in the division, so are capable of grinding out a draw if they can find a goal from somewhere.