Gameweek four in the Danish Superliga will get underway on Friday night at the MCH Arena where Midtjylland will be playing host to a struggling Vejle.
The hosts have taken five points from their first three matches of the season and are in sixth place at present, while the visitors are bottom of the table and yet to get off the mark.
Match preview
![Aral Simsir of FC Midtjylland during a Superliga match against AAB on August 3, 2024 [on August 4, 2024]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/31/aral-simsir.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Aral Simsir of FC Midtjylland during a Superliga match against AAB on August 3, 2024 [on August 4, 2024]")
© Imago
After a slightly sluggish start to the season that saw them draw the opening two league matches, Midtjylland seem to have hit their stride over the last two weeks and enter this contest following three consecutive wins in all competitions.
The most recent of those victories came in midweek when they secured a vital 2-0 lead in the first leg of their Champions League third qualifying round tie against Hungarian league champions Ferencvaros.
Midweek's victory also marked the Wolves' third consecutive match without conceding, following a 1-0 win over Andorran outfit UE Santa Coloma and a 2-0 win over AaB Aalborg at this venue last weekend.
Thomas Thomasberg's side have now won all three of their home matches this season, extending their unbeaten record at MCH Arena to seven in a row, dating back to the start of April.
Midtjylland won the last meeting between these sides 3-0 last season and have been the dominant side in this contest in recent years, winning five and drawing one of the last six encounters.
![Vejle BK's goalkeeper Nathan Trott on June 21, 2024 [IMAGO]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/25/nathan-trott.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Vejle BK's goalkeeper Nathan Trott on June 21, 2024 [IMAGO]")
© Imago
Meanwhile, Velje spent a large chunk of last season flirting with relegation but managed to avoid the drop with an excellent playoff round where they managed five wins and a draw in their final 10 matches.
However, they have begun the 2023-24 campaign in the worst way possible, losing their first three league games in a row, making them the only team in the division yet to manage a point this season.
In contrast to last term when they had the third-best defensive record of 36 goals conceded in 32 matches, De Rode have already let in six this season, which is the most of any side in the top flight over the first three gameweeks.
Ivan Prelec's side won only one of their 11 away games during the entire regular season last term and have never beaten their upcoming opponents in the Superliga competition at this venue.
Team News
![Thomas Thomasberg of FC Midtjylland during a 3F Superliga match against Aarhus GF at Ceres Park Aarhus Ceres Park Denmark, July 19 [on July 21]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/29/thomas-thomasberg_1.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Thomas Thomasberg of FC Midtjylland during a 3F Superliga match against Aarhus GF at Ceres Park Aarhus Ceres Park Denmark, July 19 [on July 21]")
© Imago
Midtjylland will remain without the services of Paulinho, Gue-sung Cho and Marrony, all of whom are suffering from knee injuries and are only expected to return to first-team action later this month.
With one eye on the trip to Hungary in midweek, Thomasberg may consider handing starting roles to Franculino and Adam Gabriel as he did in last weekend's victory over Aab.
Vejle have just one injury absentee expected for this weekend's matchup in the form of defender Thomas Gundelund, who has not featured as yet this season but is expected to return to training in the next few weeks.
German Onugkha netted a brace in the visitors' opening match of the season and should continue to lead the line, while Miiko Albornoz will be hoping to return to the starting 11 after missing out in the last match.
FC Midtjylland possible starting lineup:
Olafsson; Gabriel, Diao, Bech, Andersson; Osario, Castillo, Martinez, Soerensen; Franculino, Buksa
Vejle possible starting lineup:
Vekic; Van Bruggen, Velkov, Provstgaard; Hujber, Albornoz, Hetemi, Barry; Juwara, Emmanouilidis; Onugkha
We say: FC Midtjylland 3-1 Vejle
After a couple of underwhelming performances in the opening weeks of the season, Midtjylland are now in full flow and will be brimming with confidence after their midweek win over Ferencvaros. The Wolves have dominated this fixture in recent seasons and we feel they will secure all three points in this one.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Devesh Jaganath
