Preview: Al Riyadh vs. Al Ettifaq - prediction, team news, lineups

Both teams will be looking for an immediate return to winning ways having failed to come out on top in their respective most recent outings.

Match preview

Al Ettifaq fell to an agonising 2-1 defeat against Al Fateh when the sides locked horns at the Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium on October 5.

Steven Gerrard's men opened the scoring just past the hour mark through Moussa Dembele before late goals from Lucas Zelarayan and Djaniny turned the game around.

As a result, The Knights of Ad-Dahna have dropped down to seventh in the Saudi Pro League table, three points behind Al Ittihad in the race for the final continental spot.

Coming up next is the challenge of an opposing outfit with little to pick between judging from the previous 14 meetings which have yielded five wins apiece and four draws.

Having lost just one of their last seven matches on the road, Sunday's visitors will back themselves to secure another positive result away from home.

Al Riyadh had to make do with a share of the spoils from their encounter against Al Shabab which ended in a 2-2 stalemate on October 5.

Odair Hellmann's men led 1-0 and 2-1 through strikes from Andre Gray and Juanmi but were pegged back on either occasion by Romain Saiss and Iago Santos.

With eight points picked up from nine matches so far, Al Riyadh currently sit 13th in the standings, albeit just a point above relegation danger.

Winless in five consecutive home games leading up to Sunday's contest, the hosts will need to get going in front of their fans if they are to put behind them a relatively underwhelming start to the campaign.

Al Riyadh Saudi Pro League form:

L

L

L

L

W

D

Al Ettifaq Saudi Pro League form:

L

W

W

W

D

L

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Team News

Andre Gray has netted in both of his last two matches for Al Riyadh and will be looking to come up with the goods once again this weekend.

Midfielder Abdulmohsen Qahtani still awaits his debut for the home side since joining as a free agent during the summer transfer window.

Al Ettifaq's Moussa Dembele is in hot goalscoring form at the moment with six goals scored in his most recent five appearances across all competitions.

Twenty-seven-year-old Demarai Gray could have to make do with a place on the visitors' bench having only just returned from international duty with Jamaica.

Al Riyadh possible starting lineup:

Campana; Tosca, Al Shwirekh, Al Shuwayyi; Toure, Ndong; Juanmi, Musona, Al Dossari; Gray

Al Ettifaq possible starting lineup:

Victor; Al Otaibi, Tisserand, Hendry, Khateeb; Hazzazzi, Henderson, Wijnaldum; Gray, Dembele, Al Kuwaykibi

We say: Al Riyadh 1-3 Al Ettifaq

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