Sporting Lisbon welcome newly-promoted Moreirense to the Estadio Jose Alvalade in the Primeira Liga on Sunday night.

The hosts have arguably made the best start in the division and enter the weekend level on points with Boavista and Porto at the top.

Match preview

Sporting return after the international break as one of three teams tied on 10 points so far.

An opening trio of victories over Vizela, Casa Pia and Famalicao put them in great shape before a challenging looking clash with Braga.

The side that beat them to the final Champions League spot last season would snatch a draw off them late on too, but it keeps Sporting well in the mix at the top.

A kind run of fixtures to come, intertwined with their Europa League schedule, provides Sporting with a great opportunity to maintain their position near the summit.

Their next notable tough test comes with a trip to Lisbon rivals Benfica in mid-November, by which point they will already have played four of their European group matches.

Seven of Sporting's next 11 games are here at the Alvalade, with their league fixtures pitting them against Moreirense next, before clashes with Rio Ave, Arouca and Estrela - all games they will expect to win comfortably.

If they can go into the Derby de Lisboa still ahead of Benfica, who are one point behind them, then it should give Ruben Amorim's men huge confidence.

However, football is not won on paper, and Rui Borges's Moreirense will hope to spoil Sporting's strong start here.

The second-tier champions have not made a good start back in the Primeira Liga though.

Going out to Farense in the Taca da Liga and not scoring a single goal in pre-season was not the preparation Borges would have hoped for.

Porto provided the daunting opening day test, and despite taking the lead, Moreirense went on to lose.

Borges's side were then unable to beat 10-man Famalicao the following week, but a win over struggling Chaves saw them record their first win of the campaign.

In a rescheduled encounter with a weakened Braga side during the international break, Moreirense looked for long periods like they were going to make it back-to-back wins, but they inexplicably threw away a 2-1 lead in the final eight minutes to lose.

With just one point separating Moreirense in 10th and Estoril in 16th, an expected defeat here could cause them to slide quite rapidly, with some sides below them guaranteed to take points this weekend.

Team News

Sporting will be without Dutch defender Jerry St Juste as he recovers from a muscular problem in their only injury concern.

Buying Viktor Gyokeres and providing competition for Paulinho in attack has seemingly breathed life into the latter.

Paulinho has never quite hit the ground running at Sporting, but he has made a remarkable start, scoring four league goals in just 242 minutes of action so far, placing him top of the scoring charts at present.

Gyokeres had a mixed week with Sweden too, scoring against Estonia but suffering defeat in a crunch encounter with Austria, but he should still be preferred in the centre.

Elsewhere last week, Goncalo Inacio got off the mark for Portugal, with the promising defender scoring twice in their 9-0 demolition of Luxembourg, while Hidemasa Morita was part of the Japan side which thrashed Germany 4-1.

A head injury for Dinis Pinto is set to be the only issue facing Borges and his Moreirense squad ahead of their trip to the capital.

Lawrence Ofori will need to watch his step, as four bookings in four games so far this season means he is already one away from a suspension.

Kobamelo Kodisang was the only Moreirense player away on international duty last week and missed the defeat to Braga.

With the South African available again, he has a fight on to reclaim his spot, given that Madson deputised and scored in the 3-2 defeat last Saturday.

Sporting Lisbon possible starting lineup:
Adan; Diomande, Coates, Goncalo Inacio; Ricardo Esgaio, Morita, Pedro Goncalves, Nuno Santos; Edwards, Gyokeres, Paulinho

Moreirense possible starting lineup:
Kewin; Fabiano Silva, Marcelo, Maracas, Frimpong; Franco, Ofori, Alanzinho; Madson, Andre Luis, Joao Camacho

We say: Sporting Lisbon 3-0 Moreirense

With in-form attackers in the side and the team still unbeaten this season, Amorim will expect his side to comfortably get the better of Moreirense here.

The visitors gave Braga a huge scare last week, but their inability to hold out for even a draw points towards another defeat here.


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