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

The hosts currently sit just above the relegation zone with four points from their opening six outings, while their opponents are five points better off in ninth spot.

Match preview

Espanyol will return to action on Sunday hoping to turn around their form after a slow start to the season, having picked up just four points from their opening six games.

The Periquitos began with a draw and two defeats before putting a first win on the board in impressive fashion with a 1-0 triumph away at Athletic Bilbao thanks to Martin Braithwaite's 83rd-minute goal.

Hoping to build a positive run on the back of that away victory, Diego Martinez's side then hosted Sevilla, and despite pulling back to 3-2 through Braithwaite and Joselu after initially trailing by three goals, they would eventually fall just short before facing another tough test away at Real Sociedad prior to the recent break.

Edu Exposito drew Espanyol level in the 19th minute of that contest, straight after Alexander Sorloth's opener, but they would again be narrowly beaten as Brais Mendez his the decisive goal on the half-hour mark to condemn Martinez's side to a fourth league defeat of the campaign.

While neither of the two defeats in the run up to the break were major cause for concern, the Periquitos do now only sit above the drop zone on goal difference and will be desperate to turn their form around and avoid sinking into the bottom three at this early stage of the campaign.

They welcome a Valencia side who have experienced a mixed start to the La Liga campaign under the new management of Gennaro Gattuso, with three wins and three losses on their top-flight record thus far.

An opening-day victory over Girona was followed by back-to-back defeats at the hands of Athletic Bilbao and Atletico Madrid, before Los Che bounced back in impressive fashion with a 5-1 thrashing of Getafe.

That was followed by a disappointing defeat at the hands of Rayo Vallecano, leaving them on an underwhelming tally of six points from five games heading into their final game before the break - a home contest against Celta Vigo.

Gattuso's men would prevail in that match and quickly improve their standing in La Liga, as Samu Castillejo gave them a first-half lead before Marcos Andre and Andre Almeida added their names to the scoresheet in the second half and sealed a 3-0 victory.

Now sitting ninth in Spain's top flight after six outings, Los Che will aim to establish some consistency and build a run of positive results on their return to action on Sunday to establish themselves in the top half of the division.

Espanyol La Liga form:

D

L

L

W

L

L

Valencia La Liga form:

W

L

L

W

L

W

Team News

Espanyol will remain without Adria Pedrosa due to an injury, while Keidi Bare and Jose Carlos Lazo are doubts after issues of their own.

Oscar Gil should return from his layoff, though, and he should contest with Omar El Hilali for the right wing-back spot, while Fernando Calero, Sergi Gomez and Leandro Cabrera should again form the back three.

At the other end of the pitch, the Periquitos have a dangerous strike force even following the departure of key man Raul de Tomas, with Martin Braithwaite having already hit two goals in three La Liga appearances following a switch from Barcelona, while Joselu has found the net three times since his arrival from Alaves, for whom he netted 36 goals across the previous three top-flight campaigns.

Valencia's only injury doubt may be young midfielder Yunus Musah, who missed the Celta Vigo match after starting in each of the first five games of the league season.

In his absence, Andre Almeida could again join Hugo Guillamon and Ilaix Moriba in the engine room, while Gabriel Paulista is likely to come into the middle of the defence alongside Mouctar Diakhaby.

Justin Kluivert and Marcos Andre are both pushing to start in attack, although Uruguayan star Edinson Cavani is expected to again lead the line with Samuel Lino and Samu Castillejo bound to keep their places on the wings.

Espanyol possible starting lineup:

Fernandez; Calero, Gomez, Cabrera; El Hiali, Darder, Souza, Exposito, Olivan; Joselu, Braithwaite

Valencia possible starting lineup:

Mamardashvili; Correia, Diakhaby, Paulista, Gaya; Almeida, Guillamon, Moriba; Castillejo, Cavani, Lino

We say: Espanyol 1-2 Valencia

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