Besiktas will be looking to hold on to fourth position in the Turkish Super Lig when they welcome Ankaragucu to Tupras Stadyumu on Friday evening.
The hosts are winless in their last five matches and have seen the gap to the teams below them vanish with just six games left to play.
Match preview
Besiktas failed to end their winless run, drawing 1-1 with Samsunspor last time out. The Black Eagles took the lead through Semih Kilicsoy in the 18th minute, but conceded an equaliser in the 68th minute to earn only a point.
Fernando Santos's side remain in fourth place with 48 points, but the gap to the teams below them has disappeared. They are now level on points with fifth-placed Rizespor and only ahead on goal difference, while they are just two points ahead of sixth-placed Istanbul Basaksehir and seventh-placed Kasimpasa. Any further slip-up could see them drop out of the Europa Conference League spot.
The Black Eagles have not won any competitive match in over a month, with their last victory coming against Konyaspor in the Turkish Cup quarter-final.
Next in line is a game against Ankaragucu, the first of two consecutive meetings between them. Both sides will face off again in the first leg of their Turkish Cup semi-final tie four days after their league encounter.
Besiktas have dominated this fixture, especially at home, where they have lost just twice in 65 meetings, with 55 wins and eight draws. They are unbeaten in the last 16 times they have hosted this fixture, winning 15 and drawing just one.
With up to three teams breathing down their necks, Santos must find a way to get his team winning games again. Seeing out victories has been an issue for the Black Eagles in their last two league matches as they have taken the lead but failed to increase it or hold onto it.
Ankaragucu came from a goal down to record a 3-1 victory over Gaziantep last time out, with Efkan Bekiroglu grabbing a brace and Ali Sowe also getting on the scoresheet.
Emre Belozoglu's men have 37 points from 32 matches and have climbed to 13th in the standings, six points clear of the relegation zone.
MKE will be looking to make it four games without defeat when they visit Besiktas on Friday. Victories over Basaksehir and Gaziantep, along with a draw with Antalyaspor, have left them in a good position to escape relegation as the season nears its end.
Ankaragucu held Besiktas to a 1-1 draw in the first leg and will be more confident of earning a point against them again due to the form of both sides heading into this fixture.
However, some focus will also be on the upcoming cup tie four days later. Both sides also met in the cup and the league last year, with Ankaragucu advancing via penalties in the cup but losing both games in the league.
Team News
Besiktas will be without Onur Bulut, Ante Rebic and Arthur Masuaku, who are all sidelined with varying degree of injuries.
Salih Ucan, Tayfur Bingol and Yakup Arda Kilic are all doubtful and will have to pass late fitness tests to feature on Friday.
Kilicsoy should start in attack once again, while Gedson Fernandes plays in front of the defence.
Thirty-three-year-old left back Alper Uludag is the only absentee for Ankaragucu, as he is recovering from a muscle injury and will only return to action later this month.
Sowe has scored two goals in his last three appearances to take his league tally to five goals, and he is expected to lead the line once again.
Besiktas possible starting lineup:
Gunok; Svensson, Colley, Worrall, Terzi; Fernandes; Ghezzal, Rashica, Muci, Muleka; Kilicsoy
Ankaragucu possible starting lineup:
Gungordu; Cetin, Mujakic, Radakovic, Kitsiou; Guneren, Cigerci; Pedrinho, Bassogog, Morutan; Sowe
We say: Besiktas 1-1 Ankaragucu
Besiktas aims to break their winless streak at home against Ankaragucu. Despite Besiktas' recent struggles, historical dominance leans towards them. Ankaragucu's away form is shaky, but their attacking presence should not be ignored. We expect a close match and the prediction is another draw for the hosts.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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