Two teams in need of the points after disappointing starts to the 2020-21 La Liga campaign will lock horns on Sunday afternoon as Real Valladolid welcome Alaves.
Valladolid are currently 19th in the table with just three points to show from their first six league games of the season, while Alaves occupy 18th, having picked up four points from their opening six fixtures.
Match preview
Having finished an impressive 13th in Spain's top flight last season, Valladolid would have been looking to make further progress in 2020-21, but it has been a disappointing start to the campaign for Pucela.
Sergio Gonzalez's side, as mentioned, are currently 19th in the table on three points and are just one of two teams in Spain's top flight yet to win a match this season.
Valladolid opened their campaign with an impressive 1-1 draw against Real Sociedad, while they have also shared the points with Celta Vigo and Huesca in the early weeks.
Defeats to Real Betis, Real Madrid and Eibar have left them in the relegation zone, though, and the hosts will be determined to pick up a positive result this weekend considering that they will start the month of November with a difficult trip to high-flying Villarreal.
Valladolid recorded a 1-0 victory when the two teams locked horns in the corresponding match last season, but Alaves have won two of their last four meetings in the Spain's top flight.
Alaves, meanwhile, have also struggled for results in the early stages of the campaign, collecting four points from their six matches to sit in 18th position in the table.
Worryingly, they have also only scored three times in the league this season, which is the joint-worst record in Spain's top flight alongside Elche and Celta Vigo.
Alaves entered the October international break off the back of an impressive 1-0 win at home to Athletic Bilbao but suffered a 2-0 home loss to Elche last time out to make it four defeats for the season.
The Basque club are competing in their fifth straight La Liga campaign, but they were 16th last term, and the early indications are that Pablo Machin's side could be in for a tough year.
Alaves' next game is at home to Barcelona on October 31 and two disappointing results could leave them bottom of the table entering the month of November.
Real Valladolid La Liga form: DLDLLD
Alaves La Liga form: LLDLWL
Team News
Valladolid will be without the services of Javi Sanchez, Javi Moyano and Kiko Olivas this weekend through injury, but Sergio's side did not pick up any fresh issues against Huesca.
Shon Weissman is pushing to return to the starting XI, but Sergi Guardiola is expected to feature at the tip of the attack with Toni Suarez operating in a deeper position.
Waldo Rubio and Oscar Plano should keep their spots in the wide areas, meanwhile, with the former on the scoresheet last weekend.
As for Alaves, Pere Pons is out until at the least of December with a foot injury, meaning that Tomas Pina could earn a start for the visitors here.
Machin is likely to resist the temptation to make wholesale changes from the side that feared against Elche, meaning that Joselu and Lucas Perez should continue in the final third of the field.
There is a slight injury concern over Florian Lejeune, though, and Victor Laguardia is on standby to return to the starting XI, having replaced the on-loan Newcastle United defender at the interval last time out.
Real Valladolid possible starting lineup:
Jimenez; Perez, Bruno, El Yamiq, Martinez; Fede, Alcaraz; Rubio, Suarez, Plano; Guardiola
Alaves possible starting lineup:
Pacheco; Navarro, Ely, Laguardia; Mendez, Pina, Battaglia, Marin; Peleteiro; Perez, Joselu
We say: Real Valladolid 1-1 Alaves
There is not an awful lot between these two teams in terms of quality, and it would not be a surprise to see them in a similar position in the table at the end of the season. Valladolid will look to dominate the ball on home soil, but we are finding it difficult to back anything other than a low-scoring draw here.
Top betting tip
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