Sao Paulo and Corinthians square off in the Brazilian Serie A on Saturday evening, with both clubs seeking consistency following disjointed starts to the campaign.

Separated by just six points on the table, this latest instalment of their fierce rivalry presents an opportunity to reignite a run of positive results.

Match preview

Hernan Crespo's men returned from the league hiatus with a 2-0 defeat to Flamengo at the Maracana, before following that with a 2-2 draw against RB Bragantino on Tuesday evening. That sequence extended their winless run to five league matches, a stretch that includes four defeats and just one point gained since mid-June.

Sao Paulo are currently struggling to stem the tide, particularly at the back. O Clube da Fe have conceded in each of their last 10 league outings, and their last clean sheet dates back to early May when they played a 0-0 draw with Fortaleza. That defensive frailty has coincided with a sharp decline in results, plunging them to within one point of the relegation zone.

Their recent home form offers little cause for optimism. Sao Paulo have failed to win their last two league games at Estadio do Morumbi, suffering a 3-1 defeat to Vasco da Gama and a 2-0 loss to Mirassol. Overall, they have managed just two wins, two draws and two defeats from their last six home outings.

The timing of this clash could prove challenging for Sao Paulo, who have made a habit of starting matches on the back foot. They have conceded first in four of their last five league outings, often having to chase games rather than control them. However, their opponents this weekend have not fared any better in that regard, failing to score first in four of their last six league fixtures.

Corinthians, meanwhile, ended their own miserable winless run with a hard-fought 1-0 triumph at Ceara on Tuesday. Dorival Junior's men had failed to win any of their previous four matches, including a 2-1 defeat at home to RB Bragantino last weekend, but they steadied the ship with a narrow away success that moved them up to ninth on the table.

The result at the Estadio Castelao was not only a much-needed three points, but also marked their first away win in the league this season. Previously, the Timao had gone six matches on the road without success, recording three draws and three losses while scoring just four goals and conceding 10.

Their performances on the road have lacked consistency. Heavy defeats to Flamengo and Palmeiras were accompanied by a pair of goalless draws against Atletico Mineiro and Vitoria, underlining the team’s attacking limitations when playing away from home. Nonetheless, the clean sheet at Ceara provides a glimmer of hope as they aim to build on their latest success.

Despite a less-than-inspiring attacking return, Corinthians boast a compact defensive shape, often playing on the counter and relying on set-pieces or individual brilliance in the final third. Dorival Junior will be hoping that Tuesday's win can galvanise his squad as they push towards the top half of the table.

Sao Paulo Brasileiro form:

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Sao Paulo form (all competitions):

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Corinthians Brasileiro form:

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Corinthians form (all competitions):

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Team News

Crespo is facing a lengthy absentee list. Jonathan Calleri and Lucas Moura are sidelined with knee issues, while Luis Gustavo remains unavailable with a lung contusion. 

Pablo Maia is a doubt after a recent muscle problem kept him on the bench against Bragantino, and Lucas Ferreira continues his recovery.

Dorival on the other hand will be buoyed by the return of forwards Angel Romero and Memphis Depay, both of whom served a one-game suspension in midweek. However, there are still several absentees to navigate. 

Gustavo Henrique is sidelined due to muscle fatigue, Hugo is nursing a thigh injury, Ryan is ruled out with intestinal issues, and leading striker Yuri Alberto remains unavailable with a lumbar fracture.

To compound matters, Matheuzinho will miss this fixture due to accumulated yellow cards.

Sao Paulo possible starting lineup:

Rafael; Diaz, Sabino, Arboleda, Franco, Cedric; Bobadilla, Antonio, Alisson; Silva, Oscar

Corinthians possible starting lineup:

Souza; Mana, Caca, Ramalho, Bidu; Carrillo, Raniele, Martinez; Garro; Romero, Depay

We say: Sao Paulo 1-1 Corinthians

With both sides struggling to find consistency and goals hard to come by for the visitors, this has all the makings of a closely-contested affair. Sao Paulo will look to make home advantage count, but Corinthians have regained some confidence after their midweek win. A share of the spoils seems a likely outcome.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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