Super Lig table neighbours Hatayspor and Kayserispor meet at Mersin Stadyumu on Friday night, with both teams within reach of a European spot if they win.
Hatayspor are still unbeaten at home this season - two wins and two draws in four games - while the visitors are the exact opposite away from home, having yet to win in four games.
Match preview
© Reuters
The home record of the hosts would be respectable for most Super Lig sides, but they go into this game on the back of a painful 4-2 away defeat to league leaders Fenerbahce, where they went down after conceding three goals in a row in the first 45 minutes.
Most importantly, it was their first defeat of the season after an eight-match unbeaten run in which they won three and drew the other five.
Volkan Demirel's team's performances in attack have fluctuated a lot this season, failing to score in four of their matches - all of which ended in a draw - but also netting three or more goals in each of their other four outings prior to that Fenerbahce defeat.
Between August and September, there were four draws in a row – three goalless draws against Kasimpasa, Alanyaspor and Fatih Karagumruk and a 3-3 draw at home against Adana Demirspor – which then were followed by a home win against Trabzonspor.
As mentioned earlier, Hatayspor are unbeaten on home soil for four matches and have scored three or more goals in three of the four encounters.
Kayserispor, on the other hand, despite their poor away record this season, go into this match with a 3-1 home win over Caykur Rizespor last Saturday.
This was the first win in almost a month, as after three winless games – a 3-0 loss to Ankaragucu, a 0-0 draw with Istanbul Basaksehir and a 2-1 away defeat at Besiktas - they were finally able to celebrate after the final whistle.
Despite unconvincing away performances in the Super Lig this season, two draws were achieved – 1-1 scorelines against Istanbulspor and Antalyaspor – and with the 2-1 defeat against Besiktas, where they were leading 1-0, there is performance-based proof that Kayserispor can also put in decent performances away from home.
Kayserispor won the last meeting between the two teams in the league 4-0 last season, which could give Recep Ucar's men a good confidence boost ahead of Friday's game.
Team News
Hatayspor are currently injury-free and have a fully fit squad that will do their best to extend their unbeaten home record this season.
Carlos Strandberg and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru are the team's biggest threats in attack; both of them have scored four times this season and they jointly lead Hatayspor's scoring charts after nine games.
For Kayserispor, all players are injury-free and will be at full strength to push for their first away win of the season.
Striker and team captain Mame Thiam scored a hat-trick in the last match against Rizespor, which Kayserispor won 3-1, and will be eager to get on the scoresheet again on Friday night.
He is also the club's top scorer with eight goals and is second in the league's scoring charts this season.
Hatayspor possible starting lineup:
Kardesler; Yilmaz, Kilama, Bekaroglu, Rivas, Ghoulam; Aburjania, Massanga, Fernandes, Dele-Bashiru; Dadasov
Kayserispor possible starting lineup:
Bayazit; Sazdagi, Hosseini, Attamah, Carole; Boa Morte, Yilmaz, Karimi, Cardoso; Thiam, Kemen
We say: Hatayspor 1-1 Kayserispor
Hatayspor has a perfect home record this season and given Kayserispor's poor away record, there are not many signs that could point to an end to this streak for either side.
The hosts have scored in their last three home games, so it is unlikely that they will go scoreless on Friday. However, with Thiam in top form, Kayserispor have a big weapon in hand that will pose Hatayspor major problems defensively.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
