On Tuesday night, Sporting host Vitoria Setubal at the Estadio Jose Alvalade, as the visitors look to pick up a vital win in the fight for survival in the Primeira Liga.
With just two league games remaining, Sporting have already sealed a top-four finish in the Portuguese top-flight. The only position change that can happen is that they could drop to fourth-place, with Sporting Braga two points behind the team from the capital.
A 2-0 defeat at champions FC Porto last time out ended an eight-game unbeaten run for the home team. In fact, before the match, Sporting had won five of their previous six league matches. The game was another low-scoring encounter for Sporting, as five of their last seven league matches have produced under 2.5 goals.
Sporting have been superb on home soil of late in the Primeira Liga, winning their last eight home matches. A good defensive record has been the key to Sporting’s strong recent form at home, as they have kept six clean sheets in their previous eight matches.
An awful recent run of league form has put the visitors in a perilous position in the Portuguese top-flight. Setubal are only outside the relegation zone courtesy of a superior head-to-head to the teams below them.
Not only have the visitors failed to win any of their previous 14 Primeira Liga games, but they have also suffered six straight defeats in the top-flight.
To make matters worse, the visitors conceded at least two goals for the fifth time in six matches last time out in a 2-1 home defeat by Famalicao.
Setubal have failed to win any of their last seven away games in the Primeira Liga, suffering three straight defeats on their travels.
Forebet predicts that Sporting will record a victory in a low-scoring encounter to add to the visitor’s relegation worries.