The Chinese Super League has almost reached the mid-way point, with every team having played 14 games prior to this weekend’s fixtures.
Guangzhou Evergrande lead the way at the top of the table and this does not come as a surprise. Luiz Felipe Scolari’s team have lost only one league game this season and have 37 points from their 14 games played.
It appears the only team capable of challenging Guangzhou Evergrande for the title is Shanghai SIPG. Andre Villas-Boas has led his team to second place in the table, with 33 points from their 14 games. Shanghai have also tasted defeat just once in the league this season.
This weekend, Shanghai SIPG travel to play 15th place Jiangsu Suning. Fabio Capello’s team have found life tough this season, despite playing in the AFC Champions League have recorded only one victory in their 14 Chinese Super League games.
Trends show Jiangsu Suning have won only one of their previous eight games in all competitions. The win came in the fourth round of the Chinese Cup and you must go back to the 14th May to find their last victory in the league.
Jiangsu Suning have struggled at both ends of the pitch and trends show they have failed to score in their last two Chinese Super League games. In addition, only Liaoning Kaixin have a worse defensive record, with Jiangsu Sunning conceding 23 goals in their 14 league games.
Shanghai SIPG travel to the Nanjing Olympic Sports Center knowing they must win to keep the pressure on the league leaders. Trends show Shanghai SIPG are undefeated in their last eleven Chinese Super League games and have avoided defeat in twenty-two of their last twenty-four, which is a good record.
Current form is very good and Shanghai SIPG have won six of their last seven league games. Scoring goals has not been a problem for Shanghai SIPG and they have netted a total of 37 goals in their 14 league games. Trends show they have won by 3 or more goals in three of their last five matches in the Chinese Super League.
Considering all competitions, Shanghai SIPG have lost only one of their previous sixteen games.
Having picked up a point in their previous match away to Beijing Guoan, Capello is unlikely to make many changes to his starting XI. The main goal threat comes from Alex Teixeira, with his Brazilian colleague Ramires, holding things together in the midfield.
The Brazilian duo of Elkeson and Hulk are should start in attack for Shanghai SIPG, with support from Chinese international Wu Lei. Villas-Boas will continue with a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Cai Huikang and Odil Akhmedov operating in central midfield.
Shanghai SIPG are comfortably the strongest team in this game and should win it. However, having seen both teams score in eleven of their last thirteen games, there is some encouragement for Jiangsu Suning to attack. Shanghai SIPG to win and both teams to score makes a good bet for this game.