Preview: Arouca vs. Sporting Lisbon - prediction, team news, lineups

The Arouquenses, on the other hand, will head into the weekend desperate to get one over the visitors, having lost each of the previous 12 meetings between the teams since September 2013.

Match preview

Arouca were denied a third consecutive victory across all competitions last Sunday when they could only salvage a 1-1 draw away to rock-bottom Maritimo.

In a cagey affair at the Estadio do Maritimo, Andre Vidigal struck in the 13th minute to put the hosts on course for their first win of the season before Antony Alves restored parity on the stroke of half time.

Prior to that, Arouca secured a 2-0 victory over third-tier side Fontinhas at the Estadio Joao Paulo II on October 15 to progress to the fourth round of the Taca de Portugal.

Armando Evangelista's men are now unbeaten in each of their most recent five matches across all competitions, claiming two wins and three draws since a 2-1 defeat against Boavista on September 11.

With 13 points from their 10 matches, the Arouquenses are currently 11th in the Primeira Liga standings, but could potentially rise as high as seventh-place with all three points this weekend.

Sporting Lisbon, on the other hand, failed to move top of Group D in the Champions League as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Tottenham Hotspur when the sides squared off on Wednesday.

Former Tottenham man Marcus Edwards broke the deadlock midway through the first half to hand the Leoes a first-half victory before Rodrigo Bentancur netted 10 minutes away from time to help Spurs salvage a draw.

Having kicked off their European campaign with two successive victories, Sporting Lisbon have now failed to win their subsequent three outings, picking up one draw and losing twice to collect seven points and sit second in Group D, one point off Tottenham in first-place.

Sporting Lisbon now return to the Primeira Liga, where they are currently on a three-game winning streak, seeing off Giv Vicente, Santa Clara and Casa Pia, while scoring eight goals and conceding three since September's 2-1 loss against Boavista.

Ruben Amorim's side have picked up six wins, one draw and lost three of their opening 10 league matches to collect 19 points and sit fourth in the Primeira Liga standings, three points off third-placed Porto and nine adrift off Benfica at the top of the pile.

Arouca Primeira Liga form:

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Sporting Lisbon Primeira Liga form:

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Sporting Lisbon form (all competitions):

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Team News

With his opener against Maritimo, Alves has now scored in consecutive games for Arouca and we expect the 21-year-old forward to spearhead the hosts' attack once again.

He should be joined in the final third by Andre Bukia, who has started nine of the 10 league matches so far, and 23-year-old Oday Dabbagh, who has two goals in three appearances this season.

As for Sporting Lisbon, Amorim will be unable to call upon the services of Portuguese international Luis Neto, who has been out of action since September through a knee injury.

He is joined on the club's injury table by fellow countryman Daniel Braganca after the 23-year-old picked up an injury back in May's game against Santa Clara.

Hidemasa Morita is also a doubt for this weekend's matchup after the Japanese midfielder was forced off injured against Tottenham on Wednesday.

Arouca possible starting lineup:

Arruabarrena; Esgaio, Opoku, Basso, Correia; Soro, Ruiz, Simao; Alves, Dabbagh, Bukia

Sporting Lisbon possible starting lineup:

Adan; Marsa, Inacio, Reis; Esgaio, Fernandes, Ugarte, Santos; Paulinho, Edwards, Goncalves

We say: Arouca 1-3 Sporting Lisbon

Looking at past results between the sides, Sporting Lisbon head into the weekend as firm favourites to come away with all three points, having won each of their previous 12 encounters. The Leoes boast a significantly superior and more experienced squad and we are backing them to take the positives from their draw at Tottenham and pick up all three points.

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