Preview: Elche vs. Osasuna - prediction, team news, lineups

Osasuna make the trip to face Elche on Tuesday evening with the opportunity to move level on points with their opponents in the La Liga standings.

Both sides have failed to win any of their last half-a-dozen fixtures, heaping the pressure on each manager ahead of the end of the year.

Match preview

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On the back of their 10th-placed finish last season, Osasuna boss Jagoba Arrasate would have expected more of the same from his squad as they bid to establish themselves as a mid-table club.

Despite a solid opening to the new campaign, five defeats in six matches has left Los Rojillos at the bottom of the standings having played a game more than some of the teams above them.

Arrasate will be relieved that Osasuna remain within a couple of victories of teams sitting in and around 10th spot, although such a run appears a dream when the team's defence is performing so poorly.

Twelve goals have been conceded in their last four outings, their most recent fixture ending in a 3-1 reverse at home to Champions-League-chasing Villarreal.

Although Arrasate will take the positives from remaining competitive with 10 men for much of the game, his side need to move out of last spot if belief is going to improve at El Sadar.

While Elche have collected just three points more than the visitors, Jorge Almiron 's team have conceded seven goals fewer than their upcoming opponents.

Almost a quarter of the 14 strikes which have been shipped this season came during Saturday's 3-1 defeat at Atletico Madrid, highlighting the character which has been shown by Los Franjiverdes throughout this campaign.

Goals remain a big issue for this side, although claiming four successive low-scoring draws before setbacks against Granada and Atletico Madrid is what has kept Elche outside of the drop zone.

Lucas Boye netted his third La Liga strike of the campaign at Wanda Metropolitano, taking him to the top of the club's scoring charts.

Elche La Liga form: DDDDLL

Elche form (all competitions): DDDLWL

Osasuna La Liga form: LDLLLL

Osasuna form (all competitions): DLLLWL

Team News

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Osasuna will be without defender Aridane Hernandez after his early red card against Villarreal.

Unai Garcia is likely to come into the middle of the backline, while Kike Barja is pushing for a start in the final third.

After their respectable showing against the league leaders, Almiron may opt against making may alterations to his Elche XI.

John Donald could drop out of the side after being withdrawn at half time against Atletico, with Juan Sanchez Nino potentially featuring at left-back.

Elche possible starting lineup:

Badia; Barragan, Verdu, Josema, Nino; Guti, Marcone, Fidel; Josan, Boye, Morente

Osasuna possible starting lineup:

Martinez; Vidal, U.Garcia, D.Garcia, Cruz; R.Garcia, Moncayola, Sanjurjo, Torres; Barja, Budimir

We say: Elche 1-1 Osasuna

Given the amount of goals which they have conceded in recent matches, you have to expect a defensive-minded performance from the visitors. With the home side struggling for goals, such an approach may result in a low-scoring draw being played on Tuesday night.

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