Preview: Al Fayha vs. Al Ittihad - prediction, team news, lineups

Having lost each of the four meetings between the sides this year, the hosts will head into the weekend looking to get one over the Tigers and make it three wins on the bounce for the first time since December.

Match preview

Al Fayha turned in a resilient team display in the King's Cup on Tuesday when they fought back from behind to claim a 2-1 victory over Al Riyadh in the second of their two successive league-and-cup meetings.

It was a tale of two halves at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium as 25-year-old striker Malek Al Abdulmonam grabbed a first-half brace to cancel out Didier N'Dong's 16th-minute opener and turn the game on its head.

Prior to that, Vuk Rasovic's men picked up a more comfortable 3-1 victory over Al Riyadh in the Professional League on September 22 to snap their run of six straight matches without a win across all competitions.

After two back-to-back away wins, Al Fayha now return home, where they have managed just one win this season while losing once and picking up two draws in their four matches so far.

With nine points from their seven Professional League matches this season, the Al-Burtuqali are currently ninth in the table but could move level with seventh-placed Al Wehda with all three points this weekend.

Elsewhere, Al Ittihad scraped through to the round of 16 of the King's Cup as they needed penalties to see off a dogged Al Kholood side at the Al Hazm Club Stadium on Tuesday.

After falling behind to Roberto Dias's 18th-minute own goal, Mariano Vazquez restored parity for Al Kholood in the 40th minute, and with nothing to separate the sides after 120 minutes, the game went on to penalties, where the visitors picked up a 7-6 victory.

With that result, Al Ittihad have now won eight of their last nine matches across all competitions and each of their most recent three, including a 3-0 victory over AGMK in the AFC Champions League opener on September 18.

This impressive run of results has seen the Tigers pick up 18 points from a possible 21 in the Professional League and storm to the top of the standings, one point above second-placed Al-Hilal.

Next up for Nuno Espirito Santo's men is an opposing side who have lost each of the last four meetings between the teams, including a 2-0 defeat in the Saudi Super Cup final back in January.

Al Fayha Saudi Pro League form:

D

D

L

D

L

W

Al Fayha form (all competitions):

Al Ittihad Saudi Pro League form:

W

W

W

L

W

W

Al Ittihad form (all competitions):

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Team News

With five goals in the opening seven league matches, Fashion Sakala is currently Al Fayha's top scorer this season and we expect the former Rangers man to lead the attack once again.

He should be joined in the final third by veteran forward Mohammed Majrashi, while Al Abdulmonam could be rewarded with his first league start following a superb cup display in midweek.

On the injury front, 24-year-old Nawwaf Al Harthi is a doubt for Rasovic's men after coming off injured midway through the second half against Al Riyadh on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Al Ittihad will take to the pitch without Egyptian defender Ahmed Hegazy, who has been out of action since May through a cruciate ligament rupture.

He is joined on the Tigers' injury table by 32-year-old goalkeeper Abdullah Al-Jadani, who also continues his lengthy spell on the sidelines through an ACL injury.

Al Fayha possible starting lineup:

Stojkovic; Al Baqawi, Khaibari, Al Rashidi, Konan; Ryller, Cimirot; Sabiri, Majrashi, Onyekuru; Sakala

Al Ittihad possible starting lineup:

Al-Mayouf; Shanqeeti, Felipe, Kadesh, Al-Olaitan, Bamasud; Kante, Fabinho; Romarinho; Al-Amri, Camara

We say: Al Fayha X-Y Al Ittihad

While Al Fayha will be looking to pick up where they dropped off in midweek, they face the stern challenge of taking on a high-flying Al Ittihad side who have won each of their last four clashes. Espirito Santo's side have won their last eight away matches across all competitions and we are backing them to come out on top in this one.

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