Al-Fayha vs Al-Nassr Preview: Probable Lineups, Prediction, Tactics, Team News & Key Stats

Al-Nassr will make the trip to the King Fahd International Stadium on Saturday to face eighth-placed Al-Fayha in the Saudi Pro League, hoping to extend their unbeaten run.

Al-Nassr have been in imperious form ever since suffering back-to-back defeats to Al-Ettifaq and Al-Taawoun at the start of their league campaign, and they are currently riding on a 13-game unbeaten streak across all competitions, including seven in the league ahead of the game against Al-Fayha.

Cristiano Ronaldo lit up the Asian Champions League on Tuesday night with two spectacular goals and delicious assists as Al-Nassr defeated Al-Duhail 4-3 in a thrilling encounter. It means that Al-Nassr made it three out of three to stay three points clear of Iran’s Persepolis at the top of Group E and on course for the knockout stages.

On the league front, the Knights of Najd have made up ground very well. Seven wins and a draw from their last eight games have seen Luis Castro’s side surge up to third in the top-flight table with 22 points from 10 games. They are currently one point behind Al-Taawoun and four behind leader Al-Hilal.

Al-Fayha, meanwhile, are the firm underdogs here, having endured a mixed start to the season, with three wins, five draws, and two losses in their first ten matches. After the October international break, Al-Burtuqali resumed their league campaign with a 2-1 win over Al-Akhdoud last week, which extended their undefeated streak to four games (W2 D2).

The Mills of Sudair were unable to replicate that same level of performance in the AFC Champions League, where they suffered a 4-1 drubbing by UAE Pro League outfit Al-Ain that saw them drop to third place in Group A of that competition.

Team News and Tactics

Al-Fayha

Al-Fayha will be without an experienced member of their squad on Friday night, with 32-year-old attacker Mohammed Majrashi suspended for the foreseeable future due to an ACL injury that he sustained prior to the international break.

Following the heavy defeat in midweek, head coach Vuk Rasovic could make a raft of changes to his starting lineup for the visit of red-hot Al-Nassr, with Cimirot set to be re-introduced in the engine room to slot alongside Ricardo.

With five goals in the opening 10 league matches, Fashion Sakala is currently Al-Fayha’s top scorer this season, and we expect the former Rangers man to drive the attack once again.

He should be joined in the final third by Fiorentina loanee Abdelhamid Sabiri and Henry Onyekuru, with veteran Anthony Nwakaeme acting as the target man up top, having bagged a goal in each of his last two league outings and snapping his nine-game goal-scoring rut for his new club since joining from Adana Demirspor in the summer.

Ghislain Konan could make his return in the left-back position, causing a reshuffle in the rest of the back-four, comprising Mohammed Al-Baqawi, Sami Al-Khaibari, and Mukhair Al-Rashidi, with the latter switching back to a left-sided centre-back role. 40-year-old Serbian goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic, meanwhile, will continue manning the goal for the hosts.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Stojkovic; Baqawi, Al-Khaibari, Al-Rashidi, Konan; Cimirot, Ricardo; Sakala, Sabiri, Onyekuru; Nwakaeme

Al-Nassr

The hosts are still without experienced goalkeeper David Ospina, who is recovering from a cruciate ligament tear, which will see Nawaf Alaqidi continue between the sticks after he reclaimed his starting spot from third-choice shot-stopper Raghed Al-Najjar in midweek.

Starting central defender Ali Lajami suffered a hamstring injury and is expected to be sidelined for the foreseeable future. In his absence, Abdulelah Al-Amri could be handed a chance to impress.

Sultan Al Ghannam is ineligible for selection after he picked up a straight red against Abha at the start of the month and will sit out the next two matches, meaning Nawaf Boushal will likely continue at right-back.

Marcelo Brozovic, who missed the last three games due to an unspecified injury, is cleared to be involved after passing medical tests. The Croatian enforcer has been a crucial player on the field, helping Al Nassr dominate and control the midfield, and the visitors’ have missed his presence. He should be back in the starting lineup for this game.

The visitors are likely to remain unchanged in attack for this match, with the Ronaldo-Sadio Mane partnership firing on all cylinders, while Anderson Talisca has now netted nine goals in his last seven outings.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Al-Aqidi; Boushal, Al-Amri, Laporte, Telles; Brozovic, Al-Khaibari; Otavio, Talisca, Mane; Ronaldo

Key Stats

• Al-Nassr are unbeaten in eight Saudi Pro League games.
• There have been 13 meetings between these two sides, with Al-Nassr winning eight and losing once (D4).
• Al Fayha have not scored in their last three games against Al-Nassr.
• Brazilian attacker Anderson Talisca has found the back of the net in each of his last seven appearances for Al-Nassr.

Player to Watch

Cristiano Ronaldo

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The Al-Nassr captain continued his incredible form and produced a man-of-the-match display on Tuesday night, scoring two magnificent goals and a delicious assist in his team’s 4-3 victory against Qatar’s Al-Duhail.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner set up the opening goal at Al Awwal Park with a brilliant back-heel to Anderson Talisca, while he grabbed Nassr’s third with a superb left-footed long-ranger just after the hour. The former Manchester United star got his second on the night in the 81st minute, meeting Sultan Al Ghannam’s cross with a fine left-footed volley to restore Nassr’s two-goal lead.

Back to his ruthless best, Ronaldo’s performance was so impressive that rival manager and former PSG boss Christophe Galtier labelled the forward “still the best player in the world.” And rightly so!

With that midweek brace, the Portuguese goal-machine took his season tally to 20 goals from 19 games across all competitions, while he has assisted a further seven. Simply outrageous numbers from the greatest goalscorer of all time, who will be desperate for more here.

Prediction

Al-Fayha 0-2 Al-Nassr

While the hosts did manage to claim their third league win last week, they face a major step up in class in this match and are likely to struggle to take anything off last season’s runners-up. They will also be suffering from a continental hangover, having been dismantled by the UAE’s Al-Ain 4-1. Al-Nassr have put up a few big scorelines already this season and should see out this one without too much fuss.