The rescheduled gameweek 16 fixtures in the Super Lig will see Fenerbahce look to extend their excellent run of form when they play host to Konyaspor on Wednesday evening.
This marks the 47th meeting between these sides, and the hosts dominate the head-to-head standings 35 wins to nine, while six matches have ended level.
Match preview
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The first half of the 2023-24 Super Lig season quickly turned into a two-horse race between Fenerbahce and Galatasaray, with both clubs breaking away from the chasing pack, already 14 points clear on Trabzonspor in third place.
Fener and Gala were set to compete for the Turkish Super Cup just before the New Year in Saudi Arabia, but the match was postponed over what the clubs described as "some problems" in the event's organisation.
Nevertheless, the Yellow Canaries got 2024 started with a trip to relegation favourites Istanbulspor and rattled in five goals while conceding one to remain atop the league standings with a +8 goal differential over Cimbom.
After the first 18 league games, Ismail Kartal's side have already netted 49 goals, 14 more than Gala, but have also conceded six more than their intercontinental rivals this term.
The hosts have been formidable at home this season, taking 22 of a possible 29 points on offer, and are unbeaten in their last three with two wins and a draw. They also bagged a 4-0 win over this opponent at this venue last season.
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Meanwhile, after going unbeaten in their first four league games this season, Konyaspor hit a rough patch between mid-September and mid-November when they went eight matches without a win, including six losses and two draws.
That run of results not only saw the Anatolian Eagles slip into the relegation zone but also played a major role in the club's decision to axe Serbian coach Aleksandar Stanojevic at the back end of October.
Hakan Keles was appointed as the new manager on October 27, and after failing to win any of his first three matches in charge, the former Giresunspor boss got his first taste of victory at the end of November overcoming Kasimpasa, and ended the year positively with another three points, beating Kayserispor on Christmas Eve.
Five points from a possible 12 in December saw Konya move out of the bottom four, but a 3-0 loss to Galatasaray in midweek leaves them level with Samsunpor, who are the first side below the dotted line, on 18 points apiece.
The visitors could end the midweek round of fixtures back in the drop zone, and their away record of late does little to inspire confidence in their chances of pulling off an upset victory here, having failed to win any of their last seven matches on the road, drawing three and losing four.
Team News
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Mert Hakan Yandas will be available for the hosts, having served his suspension for receiving a second yellow against Kayserispor. Fred was shown a straight red in that match and will only be eligible to return against Gaziantep at the weekend.
Miha Zajc (muscle) and Luan Peres (knee) are both out until mid-January due to injury, while Lincoln is a doubt owing to an ACL injury.
Alexander Djiku and Bright Osayi-Samuel were both called up to join Ghana and Nigeria, respectively, at the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations in the Ivory Coast.
For the visitors, it remains to be seen if Paul Bernardoni will ever play for Konyaspor again after the shot-stopper sent a registered letter to FIFA regarding non-payment of his salary.
Bernardoni was removed from the squad as a sanction two weeks ago, while Sokol Cikalleshi is believed to have been dropped from the first team for the same reason.
Gokhan Tore (ankle) and Muhammet Demir (ACL) are both set to miss this match due to injury; Francisco Calvo will be sidelined for an accumulation of yellow cards and Bruno Paz is away on international duty with Angola.
Fenerbahce possible starting lineup:
Livakovic; Muldur, Aziz, Oosterwolde, Kadioglu; Crespo, Yuksek; Tadic, Szymanski, Under; Dzeko
Konyaspor possible starting lineup:
Ertas; Ulgun, Demirbag, Calvo, Haubert; Dikmen, Yazgili, Cicaldau; Prip, Oliveira, Moreno
We say: Fenerbahce 3-1 Konyaspor
Leading up to their stalemate against Gala on Christmas Eve, Fenerbahce had scored two or more goals in each of their first eight league games at home, posting a tally of 26 in that time. Konyaspor shipped three against Cimbom in midweek, and we feel they are likely to concede at least another three in this one.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Devesh Jaganath
