Level on points, Goztepe SK and Gaziantep FK will both be eager to pull clear of one another on the Turkish Super Lig table when they face off at the Gursel Aksel Stadium on Monday.
Both sides currently sit on 38 points, with the hosts in seventh place, one spot ahead of the visitors due to a superior goal difference.
Match preview
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At one stage this season, Goztepe looked like they might mount a serious push for European football, but an eight-game winless streak has seen them fall nine points adrift of the top four.
During that run, they have recorded five draws and three defeats, although recent performances suggest a possible turning point has been reached.
A commendable 1-1 draw away to Trabzonspor in their last league match was encouraging in itself, and they followed it up with a 3-1 cup triumph over Besiktas in midweek, a result that could breathe life back into their season.
Manager Stanimir Stoilov will be hoping his side can build on that momentum and end the campaign on a strong note, in what is their first season back in the top flight since 2021-22.
Goztepe will also be looking to snap a three-game winless run at home in the league (two draws, one loss), and they may take confidence from their previous home fixture against Gaziantep, which was a cup match they won.
These sides have already met twice this season, with Gaz taking the honours in the reverse league fixture, while Goz responded by knocking them out of the Turkish Cup.
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For Gaziantep, their away form has been a glaring weakness, having secured only two league wins on the road all season and taken just eight points from a possible 39, ranking among the bottom three travellers in the league.
They suffered a 1-0 defeat away to Konyaspor in their most recent league outing, which was away from home, bringing a three-match winning run to an end.
Manager Selcuk Inan opted for a switch to a back three in that match, but the tactical tweak failed to pay off, as the defence looked disjointed, while their attacking output was toothless, producing just 0.12 expected goals from five attempts, all of which lacked real threat.
Gaziantep ended last season in 11th place with 44 points, and with nine matches remaining, they are on course to surpass that tally, but any hopes of doing so rest heavily on improving their away performances.
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Team News
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Goztepe will be missing the services of Djalma Silva, Novatus Miroshi and Ahmed Ildiz, who are all sidelined with injury.
Isaac Solet also remains sidelined for the rest of the season, having suffered a cruciate ligament injury.
On the plus side, Ismail Koybasi and Lasse Nielsen have now served their suspensions and return to contention.
Gaziantep have a near full-strength squad, with the only absentee being Badou Ndiaye, who is suspended after accumulating too many yellow cards.
After the disappointing showing against Konyaspor, Inan is expected to revert to a 4-3-3 setup, with Arda Kizildag likely to retain his place in central defence despite the result.
Goztepe SK possible starting lineup:
Lis; Gunter, Bokele, Heliton; Koybasi, Erdogan, Dennis, Nielsen; Hugo; Romulo, Juan
Gaziantep possible starting lineup:
Bozan; Guler, Kilzidag, Husic, Tasdemir; Ozcicek, Maxim, Kozlowski; Lungoyi, Boateng, Okereke
We say: Goztepe SK 1-0 Gaziantep
Goztepe’s recent performances are clear signs of a side on the rise, and if they approach this fixture with the same intensity and discipline, it’s difficult to see Gaziantep stopping them, especially given their poor away form this season, which is why we are backing a home win.
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