Preview: Adana Demirspor vs. Fenerbahce - prediction, team news, lineups

The hosts are still unbeaten at home this season while Fener need a win to stay in touch at the top.

Match preview

Fenerbahce have responded excellently to recent adversity that has seen rivals Galatasaray pull away in first place.

After losing 3-0 at home to their Istanbul rivals, Jorge Jesus's side have won every game since, including sealing a spot in the Turkish Cup quarter-finals.

Gaziantep, Umraniyespor and Rizespor were all beaten 2-1 by Fener, but a 5-1 thrashing of Kasimpasa at the weekend was much more convincing.

Enner Valencia was superb once again, scoring four times to take his tally to 19 in just 17 league games this season, in addition to the three he got at the World Cup.

They remain the league's highest scorers with 51, averaging over two and a half goals per game, but the 19-time Super Lig champions find themselves four points behind Galatasaray going into the midweek set of fixtures, so they will hope for a favour from other sides in the coming weeks, if not this week.

This will be a very tough test for Fenerbahce though, against a side who are simply refusing to falter in the hunt for the European places.

The side from Adana are easily the most surprising team to be in the current top six which has pulled away from the rest of the league in recent weeks.

Only two sides have scored more and only two have conceded fewer so they are well worthy of their place in the upper echelons of the standings too.

Their form post-World Cup has been impressive, considering it would have been easy to assume they would fall away given their stature compared to the clubs around them, but they are one of the most in-form sides in the division.

Only trips to Besiktas, Istanbul Basaksehir and Fenerbahce in the reverse fixture have seen Adana Demirspor lose this season, as they have taken 13 points from a possible 18 since the return of club football.

Still being unbeaten at the Yeni Adana Stadyumu is a fantastic accomplishment too, and Fenerbahce will have their work cut out trying to end that streak here.

Adana Demirspor Turkish Super Lig form:

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Fenerbahce Turkish Super Lig form:

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Team News

Fredrik Gulbrandsen is the only injury concern for Adana Demirspor and manager Vincenzo Montella here, while Yusuf Sari will return from suspension.

Mert Cetin made his debut for the side in defence after arriving back in Turkey on loan from Hellas Verona last week.

As Britt Assombalonga has returned to England to sign for Watford after two years at the club, Montella has moved quickly to bring in Cherif Ndiaye from Shanghai Port.

Ndiaye scored 20 Super Lig goals in two years at Goztepe and is in line to make his bow for the club here.

After being booked against Kasimpasa last weekend, Miguel Crespo will miss this one for Fenerbahce through suspension.

Joao Pedro is a doubt and may undergo a fitness test as he looks to return from a knee injury that has kept him out since the World Cup break.

Nazim Sangare, Josh King and Bright Osayi-Samuel will all miss the fixture with injuries.

Adana Demirspor possible starting lineup:

Ozbir; Svensson, Cetin, Guler, Rodrigues; Stambouli, B Ndiaye, Akintola, Belhanda; Sari, Akbaba

Fenerbahce possible starting lineup:

Bayindir; Kadioglu, Akaydin, Szalai, Lincoln; Willian Arao, Zajc, Kahveci, Guler; Valencia, Batshuayi

We say: Adana Demirspor 2-2 Fenerbahce

With Adana Demirspor still unbeaten at home and Fenerbahce on a four-game winning streak, this game promises to be intriguing.

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