Fatih Karagumruk will be looking to extend their unbeaten run in the Super Lig to four games when they host Sivasspor at the Vefa Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The hosts were held to a 1-1 draw by Konyaspor in the previous round, while the visitors registered the same scoreline at home to Adana Demirspor.
Match preview
The home team could have won for a second time in three games if not for the late equaliser from Sokol Cikalleshi in the seventh minute of stoppage time, which earned Konyaspor a 1-1 draw last time out.
It was Karagumruk's second point in their last two Super Lig games, as they also held Trabzonspor to a goalless draw on the final matchday in October.
Alparslan Erdem's team improved significantly after returning from the international break, which was much needed after suffering defeats against Kasimpasa and Alanyaspor in the first week of October.
However, the improvement in the team's overall performance level is not yet reflected in their home record, as Karagumruk have won just one of their five home games, drawing three and losing the other two.
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The visitors, Sivasspor, are also unbeaten in their last three games, with one of those victories coming in the Turkish Cup, where Sivasspor celebrated a comprehensive 4-0 win over Artvin Hopaspor.
In the league, they have remained unbeaten in their last two games – a 1-1 draw against Adana Demirspor and a 2-1 away win over Alanyaspor – but overall they have been in even better form over the last month, losing only once to Kasimpasa on the first matchday after the international break.
With seven points out of a possible 12 from their last four games, Sivasspor have climbed into the top 10 of the Super Lig with 14 points and are currently just one point behind eighth-placed Antalyaspor.
The next few games could be crucial for the hosts, as a couple more wins could even see them fight for the European places, while a defeat on Saturday and beyond could see them return to the fight for survival, as they are only four points ahead of Pendikspor, who sit in 17th place in the standings.
What gives Sivasspor a boost ahead of Saturday's encounter is their away record this season – they have lost just once in five games away from home and have won three, making them the third-best away team behind the two Turkish giants Fenerbahce and Galatasaray.
Team News
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Karagumruk have an almost fully fit squad for Saturday's game, with only Kevin Lasagna still missing.
The Italian has yet to score a goal for the home side this season, and Guven Yalcin, who has already scored twice including in the last match against Konyaspor, is likely to start in his place.
Sivasspor coach Servet Cetin has a slightly worse starting position for this game, as he has two players who will not be available on Saturday.
Right-back Burak Kapacak and left winger Modou Barrow both had to be substituted off before half time in their last match due to injury and are currently in a questionable physical condition.
If the duo do not make a full recovery by the weekend, Alaaddin Okumus and Gerson Rodrigues, who both came on as substitutes against Adana Demirspor, will most likely move into the starting XI.
Fatih Karagumruk possible starting lineup:
Bilgin; Biraschi, Dresevic, Ceccherini, Mercan; Feghouli, Sangare, Rohden, Eysseric, Keles; Yalcin
Sivasspor possible starting lineup:
Vural; Okumus, Appindangoye, Osmanpasa, Ciftci; Konak, Charisis, Saiz, Bassan, Rodrigues; Koita
We say: Fatih Karagumruk 1-2 Sivasspor
Sivasspor have performed very well away from home in the opening months of the season and there is no reason to think they cannot continue that form on Saturday.
The hosts have played neither particularly well nor particularly badly at home this season, but one thing is for sure - they are struggling to score goals, having the fourth-worst record of any team from the bottom half of the Super Lig with just five goals scored so far.
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