Al Nassr vs Damac: Predicted lineup, injury news, head-to-head, telecast

Al Nassr will hope to close the gap to the sides at the top of the Saudi Pro League

The hosts occupy the third position in the league standings with a three-point gap behind the leading team, Al Hilal. Meanwhile, Damac holds the 10th spot, maintaining a three-point margin above the relegation zone after nine matches played.

Al Nassr's impressive undefeated run extended to 11 matches with a 2-2 draw against Abha before the international break, although this stalemate halted their remarkable 10-match winning streak across all competitions.

Damac, despite securing an eighth-place finish in the previous Saudi top-flight season, faced a challenging start to the current campaign, failing to secure a victory in their opening seven league matches but they come in this fixture winning their last three matches.

Kick-off:

Saturday, 21 October 2023 at 3:00 PM GMT (8:30 PM IST)

Location: KSU Stadium

Form:

Al Nassr (Saudi Pro League): W-W-W-W-W-D

Damac (Saudi Pro League): D-L-L-D-W-W

Players to watch

Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr):

Cristiano Ronaldo has already netted 10 goals this season, making him the league's top-scorer, and the five-time Ballon d'Or winner will almost certainly lead the line in this match. He has scored 40 goals for club and country this season which is not bad for a 38-year-old, he has been leading the front line both for Portugal and Al Nassr. It is certain that goals will come in this match too after his impressive October international break.

Nkoudou (Damac):

Former Tottenham Hotspur man N'Koudou has scored two goals in the last three matches, making it 4 goals and 2 assists in the 8 matches that the winger has played this season for Damac. He is likely to continue in the attack alongside Al-Zain and Ceesay. This trio has helped Damac get some wins under their belt this season. He was signed for free this summer and has proved to be a proper reliable man on the wing for the club.

Match facts:

• Damac have failed to win in their last three visits to Riyadh.
• Al Nassr’s only defeat in the past 12 home matches was against Al Taawon in their opening home match this season.
• Damac has a bad record on the reoad as they have only won twice in the 12 away matches.

Injury and Team news for Al Nassr vs Damac:

With David Ospina still sidelined due to an elbow injury, Nawaf Alaqidi is expected to maintain his position as goalkeeper for Al Nassr. Castro will be without his right-back as Al-Ghannam's received straight red card in the previous match which means he will serve the first of his three-match suspension, paving the way for Nawaf Al-Boushal.

In light of their consistent performances prior to the break, Damac is expected to maintain a consistent lineup for this match, with Tarek Hamed, Domagoj Antolic, and Nicolae Stanciu continuing to control the game in the middle of the field.

Head to Head:

Total Matches – 9

Al Nassr wins – 6

Damac wins – 1

Draws – 2

Predicted Lineup for Al Nassr vs Damac:

Al Nassr predicted lineup:

Alaqidi; Al-Boushal, Alawjami, Laporte, Telles; Brozovic, Al-Khaibari, Otavio, Talisca, Mane; Ronaldo

Damac predicted lineup:

Zeghba; Hawsawi, Chafai, Bedrane, Al Anazi; Hamed, Antolic, Stanciu; Zain, Ceesay, N'Koudou

Match prediction for Al Nassr vs Damac:

Al Nassr will be eager to make an immediate return to winning ways but this will not be straightforward against a Damak side that have won their last three matches. Despite Damac's recent improvement in form, Al Nassr's goal-scoring form remains formidable. The international break would have provided a much-needed respite for Al Nassr following a challenging period.

Prediction: Al Nassr 3-1 Damac

Telecast:

India – Sony Liv, Sony Sports Network

UK – Sky Sports

US –  ESPN

Nigeria –  Sporty TV

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