Two teams that have enjoyed solid seasons to date will lock horns in Spain's top flight on Saturday afternoon, with Alaves welcoming Las Palmas to Mendizorrotza Stadium.
Alaves are currently 13th in the La Liga table, boasting 16 points from their opening 15 matches of the campaign, while Las Palmas are eighth, collecting 21 points from their first 15 games of 2023-24.
Match preview
© Reuters
Alaves secured a return to La Liga through last season's Segunda Division playoffs, so the Basque outfit's number one priority for the 2023-24 campaign is to consolidate back at this level.
El Glorioso have performed above expectations so far this term, boasting a record of four wins, four draws and seven defeats from 15 La Liga matches, which has left them in 13th spot in the table on 16 points.
Luis Garcia's side will enter this game off the back of a 1-0 victory over Terrassa in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday evening, which saw them book their spot in the third round of the competition.
Alaves were held to a goalless draw at Mallorca in the league last weekend, but they have only lost one of their last four in La Liga, which was a narrow 2-1 defeat at Barcelona before the November international break.
The Blue and Whites, who are in their 18th season at this level of football, have won their last two La Liga matches with Las Palmas, which occurred during the 2017-18 campaign, including a 4-0 success in April 2018.
© Reuters
Las Palmas were also in the Segunda Division last season, finishing second in the table to secure a return to the top flight, and their campaign to date has been hugely impressive.
Los Amarillos have won six, drawn three and lost six of their 15 league games this season to collect 21 points, which has left them in eighth spot in the table, only five points behind sixth-placed Real Sociedad.
Garcia Pimienta's side were also in Copa del Rey action on Wednesday, securing their spot in the third round of the tournament courtesy of a 2-1 extra-time success over Tudelano.
Las Palmas recorded a 2-0 victory over Getafe in Spain's top flight last Friday, meanwhile, and their success this season has been built on an excellent defensive record.
Indeed, Pio Pio have the joint-second strongest defensive record in La Liga this season, only conceding 13 times, while they are incredibly the joint-second lowest goalscorers, finding the back of the net just 13 times, with only Cadiz (12) managing fewer at this stage.
Team News
© Reuters
Alaves will again be without the services of Aleksandar Sedlar and Giuliano Simeone through injury, while Ander Guevara is suspended due to his yellow card against Mallorca last weekend.
As expected, there were wholesale changes for the Copa del Rey clash during the week, but the team's big-hitters will be back for this match, including Luis Rioja, Antonio Blanco and Samu Omorodion.
Omorodion has scored four times in La Liga this season, including a goal against Barcelona last month, and the 19-year-old will again feature in the final third of the field.
As for Las Palmas, Eric Curbelo and Fabio Gonzalez remain fitness doubts, but the visitors have not suffered any fresh injury problems in their last two matches.
Head coach Pimienta will make wholesale changes from the side that started against Tudelano in the Copa del Rey, with Munir El Haddadi, Saul Coco, Alberto Moleiro and Julian Araujo among those set to return to the XI.
The team that started against Getafe in the league last time out could potentially take to the field for the first whistle, with Sandro Ramirez expected to continue through the middle.
Alaves possible starting lineup:
Sivera; Gorosabel, Abqar, Marin, J Lopez; Blanco, Benavidez; Rioja, Guridi, Rebbach; Omorodion
Las Palmas possible starting lineup:
Valles; Araujo, Coco, Marmol, S Cardona; El Haddadi, Munoz, K Rodriguez, Loiodice, Moleiro; Ramirez
We say: Alaves 0-1 Las Palmas
Games involving Las Palmas are not often high-scoring affairs, and we are also expecting this to be a very tight match in terms of the scoreline. Both Segunda Division meetings between the two sides last season finished level, but we are backing Las Palmas to shade a close contest this weekend.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
