Seeking to avoid a fourth successive Brasileiro defeat, reigning champions Palmeiras play host to Atletico Mineiro at Allianz Parque on Thursday.
The visitors are also looking to bounce back from defeat last time out as they endeavour win their first encounter with Palmeiras since August 2021.
Match preview
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Palmeiras' hopes of retaining their Brasileiro title have taken a significant blow in recent weeks as they have dropped 11 points from their last 15 available, losing each of their last three league games against Gremio, Bragantino and Santos.
Defeats to top-four rivals Gremio and Bragantino will have been tough to take for Abel Ferreira's side, and a 2-1 home loss to a struggling Santos outfit just over a week ago rubbed salt into their wounds; a heartbreaking defeat on penalties to Boca Juniors in the Copa Libertadores semi-finals also took place during this run.
The Big Green are clinging on to fourth spot only by goal difference and defeat on Thursday could see them drop down to eighth if other results go against them, while they sit 12 points behind league leaders Botafogo with 12 games remaining.
Palmeiras will fancy their chances of stopping the rot on Thursday as they have not lost any of their last 10 meetings with Atletico Mineiro in all competitions, albeit drawing eight times during this run.
Ferreira and co will be keen to rectify their home form as they have only won four of their last 10 in Sao Paulo, although all four home victories have taken place in their last five in the top flight, with the aforementioned loss to Santos last time out ending their winning streak.
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Like Palmeiras, Atletico Mineiro enter Thursday's contest off the back of a defeat as they were beaten 2-1 at home to Coritiba just over a week ago, a result that brought their three-game winning run in the Brasileiro to an end.
Galo were on course to claim maximum points when Hulk broke the deadlock just before the hour mark, but Coritiba turned the game on its head with two strikes from Matheus Bianqui and Islam Slimani, the latter of whom netted a 91st-minute winner to condemn the hosts to their eighth league loss of the campaign.
Luiz Felipe Scolari's men, who won the Brasileiro title in 2021 before finishing seventh last season, currently sit ninth in this year's standings, three points behind Thursday's opponents Palmeiras in fourth.
Atletico Mineiro have a challenging run of fixtures on the horizon, with four of their next five games against teams above them who are also battling for a top-four finish, and this period will likely determine whether they can secure a spot in next season's Copa Libertadores group stage or be forced to enter the qualification phase.
Galo, who have won only two of their last 10 away matches in all competitions, will be seeking revenge against Palmeiras, who beat them 1-0 on aggregate in a closely-fought two-legged clash in the Copa Libertadores quarter-finals in August.
Team News
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Palmeiras remain without long-term absentees Dudu and Eduard Atuesta as they continue to recover from cruciate ligament injuries.
A back four of Mayke, Gustavo Gomez, Murilo and Joaquin Piquerez is set to remain intact, but there could be changes made further up the pitch, with either Richard Rios or Fabinho potentially replacing Ze Rafael in centre-midfield.
Seventeen-year-old Endrick, who will join Real Madrid in 2024, has scored eight goals so far this season and could continue on the right side of attack, lining up alongside Raphael Veiga and Breno Lopes in behind centre-forward Rony.
As for Atletico Mineiro, their only injury concern is with forward Eduardo Vargas who remains out with a knee problem sustained last month.
Hulk and former Bayer Leverkusen forward Paulinho, who have scored 45 goals between them in all competitions so far this season, are set to be joined in attack by either Cristian Pavon or Pedrinho, with Igor Gomes expected to continue in the number 10 role.
Captain Guilherme Arana, who played the full 90 minutes for Brazil in a 1-1 draw with Venezuela last Friday, is set to return and slot in at left-back, while Jemerson could replace either Bruno Fuchs or Mauricio Lemos at centre-back.
Palmeiras possible starting lineup:
Weverton; Mayke, Gomez, Murilo, Piquerez; Menino, Rios; Endrick, Veiga, Lopes; Rony
Atletico Mineiro possible starting lineup:
Everson; Mariano, Fuchs, Jemerson, Arana; Franco, Otavio; Paulinho, Gomes, Pavon; Hulk
We say: Palmeiras 1-1 Atletico Mineiro
There has been little to separate Palmeiras and Atletico Mineiro in recent meetings, with no more than one goal scored in five of the last seven head-to-heads, and another tight affair could be in store on Thursday.
Both teams will be desperate to return to winning ways and boost their chances of securing a top-four finish, but with neither side firing on all cylinders, they may have to settle for a share of the spoils in Sao Paulo.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Oliver Thomas
