Preview: Espanyol vs. Alaves - prediction, team news, lineups

The visitors now prop up the La Liga table after four straight defeats, while their newly-promoted hosts sit just two points better off, having also failed to win.

Match preview

After winning the second tier last season, Espanyol marked their return to the top flight with consecutive draws, holding Osasuna and Villarreal to goalless stalemates in their opening two games.

Vicente Moreno's men then suffered a disappointing 1-0 defeat to fellow promoted side Mallorca, before coming close to taking a result from Atletico Madrid, as Raul de Tomas put them 1-0 up before Yannick Carrasco hit a 79th-minute equaliser and Thomas Lemar netted the winner in the 99th minute to snatch all three points for the La Liga champions.

The Blanquiazules bounced back from that disappointment last time out though, as they earned a commendable point against Real Betis, with Leandro Cabrera reducing a point with an equaliser in the 97th minute after Aleix Vidal had initially put them ahead.

With three points from a tough opening schedule, Moreno's side have reason to be positive, and they will now look to put their first victory on the board against a side who are yet to collect a point.

After only avoiding the drop by four points last season, Alaves will have headed into the new term with the hopes of a more comfortable finish, but they were handed a 4-1 thrashing by Real Madrid on the opening day to immediately go onto the back foot.

They were unable to bounce back against newly-promoted Mallorca, with Fer Nino firing the visitors to a 1-0 win, before they succumbed to their third defeat of the campaign when they were comfortably beaten 3-0 by Valencia in August.

Upon their return to league action following the recent international break, Javier Calleja's side suffered their fourth straight loss in the Spanish top flight, with first-half goals from David Garcia and Roberto Torres firing the visitors to a 2-0 victory.

Now one of just two sides who are yet to pick up a point, El Glorioso currently sit at the foot of the division, having conceded 10 goals from their four games while scoring just one at the other end of the pitch.

Calleja will be desperate for his team to quickly reverse their fortunes to climb away from the foot of the tables the league begins to take shape.

Espanyol La Liga form:

Alaves La Liga form:

Team News

After an impressive away point against Real Betis last time out, Espanyol are unlikely to make wholesale changes to the squad, with Javi Puado, Yangel Herrera and Oier Olazabal remaining on the sidelines through injuries.

Raul de Tomas will lead the line, after guiding them to promotion last season with 23 league goals last season, while former Barcelona winger Aleix Vidal also offers plenty of threat going forward.

Alaves' only absentees should be Pere Pons and Javi Lopez, with the pair continuing spells in the treatment room.

Joselu will continue to lead the line, after netting crucial tallies of 11 goals in each of the last two seasons, helping his side avoid relegation.

While Mamadou Sylla has tended to be deployed in the attacking line, John Guidetti will be keen to break back into the starting XI alongside Joselu.

Espanyol possible starting lineup:

Lopez; Gil, Gomez, Cabrera, Pedrosa; Morlanes, Darder, Melendo; Vidal, De Tomas, Embarba

Alaves possible starting lineup:

Sivera; Navarro, Miazga, Laguardia, Duarte; Martin, Pina, Roya, Mioja; Joselu, Guidetti

We say: Espanyol X-Y Alaves

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