Sports Mole previews Saturday's La Liga conflict between Espanyol and Mallorca, together with predictions, team information and potential lineups.
Mallorca can be aiming to make it 4 straight wins in Spain's high flight once they proceed their 2024-25 marketing campaign with a conflict in opposition to Espanyol at RCDE Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The guests are sixth in the desk, boasting 14 factors from their opening eight matches, whereas Espanyol occupy seventeenth, choosing up seven factors from their first eight video games of the season.
Match preview
Espanyol can be aiming to cease a three-game shedding run on Saturday, with the Catalan outfit's current struggles seeing them drop down the desk, at the moment sitting seventeenth within the division on seven factors.
Manolo Gonzalez‘s facet received back-to-back matches in opposition to Rayo Vallecano and Alaves both facet of the September worldwide break, however they've been crushed in every of their final three by Real Madrid, Villarreal and Real Betis.
Espanyol secured a return to Spain's high flight by means of final season's Segunda Division playoffs, and they'll now be seeking to consolidate again at this stage of soccer.
There have been constructive indicators this season, however a file of simply seven targets from their opening eight matches is barely regarding, and it stays to be seen whether or not the attacking output is there to maintain them within the division.
The White and Blues are literally unbeaten of their final three La Liga matches with Mallorca, together with a 2-1 success when the 2 groups locked horns within the corresponding sport through the 2022-23 marketing campaign.
Mallorca's kind has been one of the tales of the season to this point, with the Pirates having fun with a superb begin, choosing up 14 factors from their opening eight matches to take a seat in sixth place within the desk.
Jagoba Arrasate‘s facet solely collected two factors from their first three matches of the marketing campaign, however they've been victorious in 4 of their final 5, together with their final three in opposition to Real Sociedad, Real Betis and Real Valladolid.
Mallorca's robust begin has been constructed on a stable defence, with solely Atletico Madrid (4) conceding fewer instances in La Liga this season, however they're among the many lowest goalscorers within the division with eight.
The Pirates completed down in fifteenth final season, however they did declare ninth in 2022-23 and definitely have the look of a facet greater than succesful of pushing for a top-half end in 2024-25.
Mallorca have solely received one of their final 5 La Liga matches in opposition to Espanyol, whereas they haven't managed to beat the Catalan outfit away from dwelling in Spain's high flight since March 2011.
Espanyol La Liga kind:
Mallorca La Liga kind:
Team News
Espanyol can be with out the providers of two gamers by means of harm on Saturday, with Leandro Cabrera and Edu Exposito unavailable for choice.
Head coach Gonzalez is anticipated to maintain religion with the bulk of the facet that took to the sector for the primary whistle in opposition to Real Betis, however there might be a change within the ultimate third, with Alejo Veliz doubtlessly returning to the facet.
Javi Puado is the team's main goalscorer this season with three, and the 26-year-old is a sure starter this weekend, with Alex Kral doubtlessly shifting right into a deeper place.
As for Mallorca, Takuma Asano and Vedat Muriqi are two main absentees, whereas Siebe Van der Heyden and Javi Llabres are once more anticipated to overlook out for the in-form team.
Due to the way of the efficiency in opposition to Real Valladolid final outing, it's troublesome to think about head coach Arrasate making adjustments, as no contemporary health points have been reported.
As a end result, Dani Rodriguez ought to proceed within the ultimate third of the sector alongside Cyle Larin, with Abdon Prats and Omar Mascarell more likely to be amongst these on the bench for the primary whistle.
Espanyol potential beginning lineup:
Garcia; El Hilali, Gomez, Kumbulla, Romero; Carreras, Gragera, Kral, Puado; Veliz, Cheddira
Mallorca potential beginning lineup:
Roman; Maffeo, Raillo, Copete, Mojica; Navarro, Morlanes, Costa, Darder; D Rodriguez, Larin
We say: Espanyol 0-1 Mallorca
It is sort of 14 years since Mallorca final beat Espanyol away from dwelling in Spain's high flight, however we're backing a hit for the Pirates right here. The guests are in glorious kind and are so troublesome to attain in opposition to in the meanwhile, so can see a slim win for Arrasate's facet on Saturday afternoon.
For information evaluation of the most certainly outcomes, scorelines and extra for this match please click on right here.
