Konyaspor and Trabzonspor are separated by two places in the Super Lig table, and they face off at the Konya Metropolitan Municipality Stadium on Saturday.
The home side returned to winning ways last time out against Kasimpasa, while Black Sea Storm fell to a 4-1 loss at Sivasspor.
Match preview
Konyaspor's recent form has left much to be desired, with two wins from five unable to precipitate a rise in the standings.
Aleksandar Stanojevic's team may have claimed a 2-1 win over Kasimpasa the previous week, but that was overdue after three matches without success.
The Anatolian Eagle's inability to score consistently has been their undoing, with 38 goals from 30 games the fewest in the league's top half.
On the other hand, 33 goals conceded is outdone by just three teams in the top nine, highlighting how Stanojevic's troops could have been higher in the table if they were firing up top.
They could leapfrog out-of-form Trabzonspor this weekend with a victory, with success taking them above the six-placed Trabzon outfit on goal difference.
Black Sea Storm are in free fall, evidenced by a run of three defeats and a draw in the last four games, allowing sides like Konyaspor to reduce the gap in the table.
Nenad Bjelica has only just taken over, with last week's heavy loss at Sivasspor his first game in charge since taking over after title-winning boss Abdullah Avci resigned in March.
Last year's winners cannot end in the league's top three any more — with 17 points between them and third-placed Besiktas — but can still supplant Istanbul Basaksehir in fifth.
However, the sequence of non-stop defeats on their travels is alarming to everyone connected to the club, as the run of six consecutive away losses could become seven this weekend.
Be that as it may, the fact that Konyaspor travels better than they fare in Konya — the hosts have the 14th-best home record and fourth-best road results — means Trabzonspor could have an opening on Saturday.
Team News
Konyaspor have injury worries, with Adil Demirbag (calf) and Muhammet Demir (knee) unlikely to play when Trabzonspor visits this weekend.
Robert Muric, withdrawn in the victory over Kasimpasa, is doubtful for Saturday, but Uche Ikpeazu, Ogulcan Ulgun and Endri Cekici are all sidelined.
Dorukhan Tokoz has been absent with a long-term injury since September, and the Trabzonspor midfielder remains unavailable for last year's champions.
Edin Visca, Serkan Asan and Abdulkadir Parmak are unlikely to be available for this weekend's clash.
Jean-Philippe Gbamin and Anastasios Bakasetas should return to the lineup after suspension, but Jens Stryger Larsen is absent after last week's 22nd-minute sending-off against Sivasspor.
Konyaspor possible starting lineup:
Sehic; Oguz, Calvo, Yazgili, Guilherme; Dikmen, Bouchalakis; Michalak, Pozuelo, Moreno; Diouf
Trabzonspor possible starting lineup:
Cakir; Turkmen, Bartra, Denswil, Elmali; Gbamin, Siopis; Markovic, Bakasetas, Bardhi; Gomez
We say: Konyaspor 1-1 Trabzonspor
With the home side not pulling up trees on their turf and Trabzonspor not faring better on their travels, a draw between Konyaspor and Black Sea Storm could be in the offing.
It will not be three points for Bjelica, but it will stop the wretched sequence of road defeats.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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