Sunday's Primeira Liga predictions including Porto vs. Braga

Gil Vicente vs. Estrela Amadora (Sunday, 3.30pm)

Gil Vicente will be aiming to extend their unbeaten run at home to seven league matches when they host Estrela Amadora in the Portuguese Primera Liga on Sunday.

The visitors, meanwhile, have acquitted themselves well since gaining promotion from the second tier, but they have only won once on the road this season.

We say: Gil Vicente 1-1 Estrela Amadora

The priority for both of these teams this will season will be avoiding relegation, and we could see a cagey encounter play out as a result of that. In truth, there is little to split them in terms of individual quality.

Gil Vicente have collected all of their points on their home patch this season, meaning that we do not envisage them being beaten on Sunday. But Estrela have travelled well and are more than capable of avoiding defeat.

Vizela vs. Boavista (Sunday, 6.00pm)

Both sides will be aiming to end lengthy winless streaks when Vizela host Boavista in the Portuguese Primera Liga on Sunday.

Vizela have failed to win any of their last six league games, while Boavista have not won any of their most recent 11 matches.

We say: Vizela 1-1 Boavista

Ordinarily, we would make Boavista favourites to win this match, but the visitors are missing some key players due to injury, suspension, and international call-ups. They will also arrive in Vizela in desperately poor form.

However, the hosts have also struggled to win in recent weeks, and they may settle for sharing the spoils. This would not be enough to move them out of the automatic relegation spots, but it may be viewed as another step in the right direction.

Benfica vs. Rio Ave (Sunday, 6.00pm)

Rio Ave will be looking to make it two wins from two in the new year when they journey to the Estadio da Luz to take on Benfica in round 17 of the Primeira Liga on Sunday.

Having won each of the last 11 meetings between the teams since February 2018, As Aguias set out to extend their dominance over the visiting side and move top of the league standings.

We say: Benfica 3-1 Rio Ave

While Rio Ave will look to pick up where they left off last time out, they are in for a tough 90 minutes against a high-flying Benfica side. As Aguias have won each of their last 11 games against the visitors, and given the gulf in quality and depth between the two sides, they should come out on top once again.

Porto vs. Braga (Sunday, 8.30pm)

Two sides separated by just two points in the upper echelons of the Primeira Liga standings square off Sunday when Porto play host to Braga at the Estadio do Dragao.

The two local rivals head into the midweek clash off the back of contrasting results in the Taca de Portugal, with Os Arcebispos suffering a narrow defeat against Benfica.

We say: Porto 3-1 Braga

Still licking their wounds from the cup exit, Braga will head into the weekend looking to pick up a morale-boosting result. However, Porto have been near impenetrable at home in recent weeks and we fancy them to extend their dominance in this fixture.