Preview: Trabzonspor vs. Yeni Malatyaspor - prediction, team news, lineups

It is top against bottom in the Turkish Super Lig on Friday, when league leaders Trabzonspor welcome Yeni Malatyaspor to the Medical Park Stadyumu.

The hosts currently hold a seven point lead against second-placed Konyaspor, while the visitors sit in 20th spot but only three points adrift of safety.

Match preview

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Abdullah Avci's side remain unbeaten on home soil this season, but last time out in the league on December 25, they were held to a goalless draw by Istanbul Basaksehir.

Trabzonspor's strike force did not manage to find the back of the net on that occasion, but the team's eighth clean sheet of the campaign means that they still have the best defensive record in the division.

Specifically on their own patch this term, Avci's side have only seen six goals scored past them and Yeni Malatyaspor have only struck three times in total on their travels, suggesting that the hosts should add to their eight clean sheets on Friday.

Trabzonspor enter this game on the back of success in round five of the Turkish Cup, having beaten lower-league opposition Boluspor 1-0, thanks to Bengali-Fode Koita's goal.

At the halfway stage of the Turkish Super Lig season, having played 19 fixtures, Trabzonspor have put themselves in a strong position to win their first division title since 1984.

In contrast, Friday's away side have their work cut out in the second part of this campaign to fight for survival in the top flight, and they will need a turn in results in order to do so.

Marius Sumudica's side recorded back-to-back wins in October during the Romanian manager's first two games in charge, but since then they have not recorded a single victory in the Super Lig.

Malatyaspor's confidence would have been knocked further last week in the Turkish Cup, as they fell to a 3-2 defeat against second-tier side Bandirmaspor.

Their winless run in the league continued on December 26 when Sumudica's team lost 2-0 against Fenerbahce, again showing their struggles in front of goal this season.

Yeni Malatyaspor have only netted 16 times this campaign, and with their poor defensive record they will need to sharpen up in the final third if they are going to climb out of the relegation zone.

Trabzonspor will be looking to emulate their performance and result from the opening day of this season, when they despatched Malatyaspor 5-1 in a comfortable first gameweek for Avci's side.

Team News

Trabzonspor striker Djaniny and new signing Jean Kouassi are unavailable for selection as they head off to represent their respective nations at the Africa Cup of Nations this month.

Anders Trondsen, Anthony Nwakaeme, Serkan Asan and Vitor Hugo are all sidelined due to injury but are expected to make their returns to action later in January, while Edgar Ie and Gervinho will continue to be out for the rest of the season.

The home side will line up in their usual 4-1-4-1 formation, with Andreas Cornelius certain to continue to lead the line for the league leaders, looking to add to his nine Super Lig goals this season.

Ghana international Benjamin Tetteh and Tunisia international Oussama Haddadi are away in the Africa Cup of Nations, while centre-back Wallace will be unavailable to Malatyaspor due to a muscle injury.

Tetteh in particular will be a big miss for the visitors as he has netted six times this campaign, the top goalscorer in the Yeni Malatyaspor squad, so there is more pressure on Adem Buyuk to score the goals.

Trabzonspor possible starting lineup:
Cakir; Koybasi, Denswil, Turkmen, Peres; Hamsik; Bakasetas, Siopis, Tokoz, Omur; Cornelius

Yeni Malatyaspor possible starting lineup:
Ozbir; Sarikaya, Ciftpinar, Kaya; Eskihellac; Aabid, Ndong; Chouiar, Mallan, Kanatsizkus; Buyuk

We say: Trabzonspor 2-0 Yeni Malatyaspor

Trabzonspor are big favourites in this encounter given their much superior league position and the form of both sides, and they should keep a clean sheet with Yeni Malatyaspor's poor scoring record on their travels in particular.

The league leaders will be keen to get back to winning ways in the league after a goalless draw last time out, and they will know that they have enough quality to beat their visitors on Friday.

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