Preview: Ceara vs. Santos - prediction, team news, lineups

Ceara and Santos will square off on Sunday, in a clash between two sides separated by just one point and one place in the bottom half of the Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A table.

Both teams find themselves in difficult runs of form, with the hosts failing to win any of their last five league outings, and the visitors without a victory in eight games in all competitions.

Match preview

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After a strong start to the domestic season, Ceara sat in seventh spot in the Brazilian top flight with 22 points from their opening 14 outings, but their form has taken a major dip in recent weeks.

The Alvinegro Cearense have now collected just two points from their last five league games, and come into Sunday's match on the back of consecutive defeats.

Following a creditable goalless draw with Flamengo, Ceara were handed a 2-0 defeat by newly-promoted America Mineiro, before losing to 18th-placed Gremio by the same scoreline last time out, with Diego Souza and Ferreira netting goals on the stroke of half time.

That poor run of form recently triggered the dismissal of manager Guto Ferreira, and former Gremio boss Tiago Nunes has now been tasked with reversing the side's fortunes.

Heading into a new era under Nunes's charge, the Vozao will be keen to make a quick return to winning ways to kickstart a climb back up the table.

They take on a Santos side in a very similar situation, with the visitors also finding themselves in their toughest run of the season.

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After enjoying a steady rise up to sixth spot in the Brasileiro table, Sunday's visitors now find themselves without a victory in their last six league outings, having firstly played out draws with Corinthians, Fortaleza and Internacional.

The Alvinegro then suffered a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Flamengo on home turf, as Gabriel Barbosa hit a hat-trick before Andreas Pereira added a fourth in the dying minutes.

After falling to a 2-1 defeat to Cuiaba, Santos played out a goalless draw with Bahia last time out, and, similarly to their opponents, have recently turned to a new manager, with Fabio Carille now in charge of guiding the Peixe up the table.

He will hope to start his tenure with a victory over a side who sit just one point and one place above them in the table.

Team News

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Ceara have several injury concerns to deal with, as Klaus, Willian and Joao Ricardo are all out of action.

Jael should again lead the line with the support of an attacking trio consisting of Lima, Vina and Stiven Mendoza.

Santos have a long injury list to deal with, as the likes of Jobson, Kaiky, John and Sandry are all in the treatment room.

They still boast a threatening front line though, with forward Leo Baptistao flanked by wingers Marinho and Lucas Braga.

Gabriel Pirani will also offer additional threat going forward, having registered three goals and an assist from a midfield role so far this season.

Ceara possible starting lineup:
Richard; Dias, Messias, Otavio, Pacheco; Sobral, Fabinho; Lima, Vina, Mendoza; Jael

Santos possible starting lineup:
Paulo; Para, Balieiro, Leonardo, Jonatan; Sanchez, Mota; Marinho, Pirani, Braga; Baptistao

We say: Ceara 1-2 Santos

With both sides in poor runs of form but hoping to feel the benefits of a change in management, something is bound to give on Sunday.

We see the visitors' slightly superior attacking quality getting them over the line, with the likes of Braga and Marinho potentially making the difference as Peixe look to kickstart a revival.