Villarreal will be looking to continue their positive start to the 2020-21 campaign when they welcome a struggling Real Valladolid on Monday night.
The Yellow Submarine are currently fifth in La Liga with 12 points to show from their seven matches, while Valladolid sit rock bottom of the table with just three points from seven matches.
Match preview
Villarreal have won three, drawn three and lost one of their seven league matches this season, with a total of 12 points leaving them in fifth position in the table, two points off the summit.
Unai Emery's side suffered a 4-0 loss at Barcelona towards the end of September but are unbeaten in the league since, picking up eight points from four games against Alaves, Atletico Madrid, Valencia and Cadiz.
Villarreal were held to a goalless draw by Cadiz last weekend, but the newly-promoted outfit have come up with some excellent results this term and therefore the point was welcome for the Yellow Submarine.
Emery's team have also made an excellent start to their Europa League campaign, collecting six points from an available six against Sivasspor and Qarabag.
Indeed, the Spanish club were 3-1 winners in Azerbaijan on Thursday night, with Yeremi Pino and Paco Alcacer (2) netting in the final 10 minutes of the European encounter to secure a vital victory.
Valladolid, though, have really struggled for results in the opening weeks of the campaign and currently sit bottom of the table with just three points to show from their seven matches.
The White and Violets are one of only two teams - the other being Huesca - yet to win in Spain's top flight this season, while they have only managed five goals during a tough start to the season.
Valladolid have finished 16th and 13th in La Liga since returning to this level of football, but it does appear that it will be a difficult campaign for the club.
Sergio Gonzalez's side have a huge game at home to Athletic Bilbao on November 8, before finishing the month with a trip to Granada and home fixture with Levante.
December begins with a trip to Atletico Madrid, meanwhile, and it is vital that Pucela pick up a victory as soon as possible as they could, relatively soon, find themselves being cut adrift at the bottom of the division.
Villarreal La Liga form: WLWDWD
Villarreal form (all competitions): WDWWDW
Real Valladolid La Liga form: LDLLDL
Team News
Villarreal will again be without the services of Alberto Moreno and Dani Parejo through injury, while Pervis Estupinan and on-loan Tottenham Hotspur defender Juan Foyth are also doubts.
Key striker Gerard Moreno could shake off a hamstring problem in time for the contest, although it would not be a surprise to see the Spain international named on the bench, with Alcacer continuing in attack.
Samuel Chukwueze should continue in the final third of the field, while Moi Gomez, Francis Coquelin, Mario Gaspar and Sergio Asenjo are expected to return to the XI following Thursday's clash.
As for Valladolid, Kiko Olivas and Javi Sanchez will both miss out through injury, while Sergi Guardiola is also battling to be fit for the visitors on Monday night.
Guardiola is expected to shake off the knock, though, and could feature alongside Shon Weissman in attack.
Nacho Martinez's straight red card in the defeat to Alaves last weekend means that the defender is suspended, with Raul Garcia likely to come into the side at left-back.
Villarreal possible starting lineup:
Asenjo; Gaspar, Albiol, Torres, Costa; Iborra, Coquelin, Trigueros; Gomez, Alcacer, Chukwueze
Real Valladolid possible starting lineup:
Jimenez; Perez, Fernandez, Yamiq, Garcia; Orellana, Alcaraz, Mesa, Villa; Weissman, Guardiola
We say: Villarreal 2-0 Real Valladolid
Villarreal have been impressive in the early stages of the season, but the same cannot be said for Valladolid. The visitors have had longer to prepare for this match and in theory should be fresher, but we are finding it difficult to back anything other than a routine victory for the Yellow Submarine.
Top betting tip
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