Samsunspor will be desperate to end their alarming losing run when they welcome Konyaspor to Samsun Yeni 19 Mayis Stadium on Saturday in the Turkish Super Lig.

The hosts have lost eight consecutive league matches and sit 17th in the standings with just four points from their opening 10 fixtures, while the visitors are 15th with eight points after winning only twice in the competition this season.

Match preview

Samsunspor have endured a miserable start to the campaign, with their latest 5-2 defeat against Istanbul Basaksehir extending their sequence of consecutive league losses to eight.

Since Nenad Bjelica took over as manager three matches ago, the team have conceded 11 goals and scored four times, with the Croatian yet to spark the immediate improvement they need.

Their struggles have been particularly evident at home, where they have collected just one point from five league matches, losing four times and conceding 15 goals.

However, the hosts are unbeaten in their last three meetings with Konyaspor, recording two wins and a draw, a run they will hope to extend on Saturday.

The visitors have also struggled to find consistency, although their recent performances have offered occasional encouragement.

Konyaspor followed a 1-0 defeat away to Amed SK with a 2-0 home victory over Genclerbirligi, but Galatasaray brought them back down to earth by scoring four unanswered goals in Konya last time out.

Ilhan Palut's team have struggled in attack, having scored just six goals in their opening 10 league matches, the second-lowest total in the division.

Konyaspor have also found it difficult on their travels, collecting just one point from four league away matches, with only one team having a worse record on the road.

Samsunspor Turkish Super Lig form:

Konyaspor Turkish Super Lig form:

Team News

Samsunspor will be without Fatih Kaya and Celil Yuksel, who have both been ruled out of Saturday's encounter through injury.

Emre Kilinic has returned to first-team training after recovering from his fitness issue and could be available for selection, although his match fitness remains to be assessed.

Yunus Emre Cift is still a doubt, while Afonso Sousa is back in contention after serving his suspension, giving Nenad Bjelica another option in attacking midfield.

Mohamed Bayo is expected to lead the attack alongside Tanguy Coulibaly, with Logi Tomasson and Joe Mendes likely to provide width from the flanks.

Konyaspor, meanwhile, will be without Adil Demirbag as he continues his recovery from a cruciate ligament injury, while Deniz Turuc is suspended after accumulating yellow cards.

Goalkeeper Bahadir Han Gungordu is also a doubt after picking up an injury against Galatasaray, so Deniz Ertas is expected to start between the posts.

Chidozie Awaziem and Rayyan Baniya are likely to continue their partnership in central defence, while Enis Bardhi and Jean-Luc Dompe could operate behind Jackson Muleka, who is expected to lead the visitors' attack.

Samsunspor possible starting lineup:

Bayazit; Erakovic, Guarino, Drapinski; Mendes, Watt, Sekongo, Yuksel, Tomasson; Coulibaly, Bayo

Konyaspor possible starting lineup:

Ertas; Andzouana, Awaziem, Baniya, Masuaku; Jevtovic, Ibrahimoglu; Turuc, Bardhi, Dompe; Muleka

We say: Samsunspor 1-1 Konyaspor

Neither side arrives in convincing form, and their respective attacking problems make it difficult to envisage a particularly open contest.

With both teams desperate to avoid another defeat and the previous meeting at this ground ending in a draw, we expect another closely contested encounter, with the points shared in Samsun.

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