Al Hilal will visit the Kingdom Arena on Friday to welcome visitors Al Ettifaq for a Saudi Pro League one-on-one clash. Kickoff is slated for 15:45 GMT+1.
Key Highlights
Al Hilal
Jorge Jesus’ charges have been in excellent form in the Saudi Pro League’s opening nine rounds of fixtures. The defending champions look to lay down a marker for the rest of the season.
Their form includes eight wins, one draw, and 0 losses. Going into Friday, they are the leaders on the Saudi Pro League table, ahead of close competitors Al Ittihad by 1 point. Laurent Blanc’s side plays a day ahead on Thursday.
With a win rate of 89% of their matches, their home form has been ominous, winning all the four matches at the Kingdom Arena so far this season. Away from home, they have won 5 and drawn 1.
Al Hilal’s unbeaten start to the season has seen them score 24 times this season in the Saudi Pro League, a tally that over-performs their overall xG For per match, which translates to 16 goals. This stat shows that Al Hilal are clinical and that their attack has clicked into gear early to give them a boost in the fight for the title.
Jorge Jesus will look to retain his side’s momentum ahead of meeting tricky-looking opponents in Al Ettifaq on Friday.
Al Hilal will look to move on from the 1-1 draw against Al Nassr in the Capital Derby
Al Ettifaq
Steven Gerrard’s Al Ettifaq have been disappointing in the opening nine outings in the Saudi Pro League. They have three wins, two draws, and four losses so far, highlighting a win rate of 33% of their matches.
Al Ettifaq have been poor in front of the home supporters, with one win, 0 draws, and four losses. Away from home, they have been slightly better, with two wins, two draws, and no defeats.
The core challenge for Al Ettifaq has been their attacking phase, which has resulted in just eight goals scored in nine matches. This output has been computed by 12 goals conceded in this run of games, explaining why Steven Gerrard’s men have lacked the cutting edge or defensive solidity to mount a sustained run to compete at the top end of the table.
The core focus for Al Ettifaq will be on the fact that they have a slightly better record away from home; they have a better xG For per match away from home (1.48) compared to home (1.37), which shows that their tactical approach results in better attacking intent away from home. This will be crucial when they travel to face Al Hilal on Friday.
Injury Report
Neither Al Hilal nor Al Ettifaq have reported fresh injury worries ahead of their clash on Friday. The respective managers will pick from the full complements of their squads, ensuring that they have the tactical range they need to wrestle three points from this match.
Team News
Neymar is still not available for Saudi Pro League matches despite returning from injury. Aleksandar Mitrović, who played and grabbed a hat trick on Monday in the continental clash against Esteghlal F.C., will lead the line as he looks to fire Al Hilal to another domestic title.
Steven Gerrard will persist with his trusted first eleven, which includes an attack consisting of Toko Ekambi and Dembele in striking positions, supported by a midfield of Medran, Al Malki, and Wijnaldum.
Prediction
Al Hilal are favored to return to winning ways in the Saudi Pro League. They have the better balance between attack and defense and have shown scintillating form in front of the home crowd. They will win the match and bounce back from the draw last weekend.
