Al-Fateh are still looking for their first win of the season, while the visitors have firmly established themselves in the top half and are considered overwhelming favourites by the bookmakers.
Al-Fateh
Al-Fateh head into this round without a win in their opening seven league matches: three draws and four defeats leave them 15th in the table. Their scoring record is poor — just 4 goals scored and 11 conceded, pointing to problems in both attack and defence. They are playing at home, but even there they have picked up just one point from three matches and scored only one goal.
Al-Ahli Saudi
Al-Ahli Saudi sit sixth after seven rounds with 12 points (4 wins, 3 defeats, a goals record of 16:10) — a return that could have been better given the quality of their squad. The close season brought significant changes: Riyad Mahrez and several other players left, while Bosnian manager Marino Pusic took over from Matthias Jaissle, who departed for Chelsea — intriguingly, media reports had previously linked Antonio Conte with the vacancy, but the Italian turned down the offer. Ivan Toney (10 goals) remains the main attacking star, having finished as the league's top scorer last season with 32 goals. Former Krasnodar captain Eduard Spertsyan and former Sporting CP player Trincão are also still settling into the squad, having scored five league goals between them.
Al-Fateh vs Al-Ahli Saudi Prediction
The gap in league position and squad quality looks clear: Al-Fateh have failed to resolve their problems in creating chances and defending for seven consecutive rounds, while Al-Ahli Saudi, even below their best, have far more accomplished players, led by Toney. We expect a convincing win for the visitors.
