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

The visitors, who were promoted from the second tier last season, have won back-to-back games themselves.

Match preview

However, they will almost certainly have an extremely tough time beating Sporting at Estadio Jose Alvalade, with Ruben Amorim's side looking capable of challenging for the title this season.

Amorim, of course, ended the Green and Whites' 19-year wait to lift the Portuguese Primeira Liga in his first full season in charge when guiding them to top spot three seasons ago, but after finishing second in the following campaign, they missed out on Champions League qualification last time out when ending in fourth position.

However, five consecutive wins has helped them open up a three-point gap at the top of the table ahead of Benfica and Porto, although they are yet to face either of Portugal's traditional big two sides. That will change next week when they face their local rivals Benfica at Estadio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica.

In the meantime, though, Amorim will be urging his players to continue their winning streak against Estrela, having beaten Farense 4-2 in Taca da Liga on Thursday evening, with former Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres bagging a hat-trick.

Estrela, meanwhile, have performed above expectations following their promotion via the play-offs last season, with 11 points from their opening nine games enough to move them into the top half ahead of this weekend's action.

The Tricolours have only been established in their current guise for three years, having merged with Club Sintra Football in 2020, taking that team's place in the third tier in the process. However, Estrela are very much based on their namesake predecessors, after Estrela da Amadora were dissolved in 2011 due to financial issues.

That previous version of the club last competed in Portugal's top tier in 2009, famously winning the Portuguese Cup in 1990. However, with former France international Patrice Evra on board as the majority shareholder, they are embarking on a new adventure now, with recent 1-0 wins against Casa Pia and Famalicao suggesting they have enough about them to survive at this level.

Having already lost to Benfica, Porto and Braga this season, head coach Sergio Vieira will not be expecting his side to return from Lisbon with any points to show for themselves on Sunday, but the 40-year-old will demand his players to continue to put respect on their relatively new club's name in the form of another committed performance.

Sporting Lisbon Primeira Liga form:

D

W

W

W

W

W

Sporting Lisbon form (all competitions):

L

W

W

D

W

W

Estrela Amadora Primeira Liga form:

D

L

D

L

W

W

Estrela Amadora form (all competitions):

L

D

L

W

W

W

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Team News

With Sunday's fixture against Estrela set to be Sporting's fourth match across only 11 days, Amorim may consider making several changes, especially ahead of facing a crucial match against Benfica next week.

The 38-year-old is massively helped by having an injury-free squad at present, meaning the likes of Sebastian Coates, Antonio Adan and Marcus Edwards will expect to return to the hosts' starting XI after only being named on the bench in the cup in midweek.

Estrela, meanwhile, will travel without Bruno Brigido due to a muscle strain, but otherwise they appear to be blessed with a fully fit squad too.

Having had a week between matches since their 1-0 win against Famalicao last Sunday, it would be slightly surprising if Vieira opted to make any changes to a winning side, although Andre Luiz may be rewarded with a start after scoring the decisive goal following his introduction from the bench.

Sporting Lisbon possible starting lineup:

Adan; Diomande, Coates, Inacio; Catamo, Hjulmand, Morita, Reis; Edwards, Gyokeres, Goncalves

Estrela Amadora possible starting lineup:

Filipe; Omurwa, Lopes, Gaspar; Santos, Souza, Vito, Mansur; Luiz, Ronald; Kikas

We say: Sporting Lisbon 2-0 Estrela Amadora

Estrela should be much fresher having not had to compete in midweek, but they have fallen short against Portugal's strongest teams this season, and we expect that trend to continue on Sunday.

Sporting are unlikely to run away with things given their gruelling fixture congestion in recent weeks, but they will be happy to secure a sixth successive win in any way possible in order to maintain their status at the division's summit ahead of a crucial derby match next week.

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