Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Saudi Pro League match.
Even before Neymar Júnior's return, Al-Hilal had established a commanding lead in the league, maintaining an unbeaten record domestically. Facing Al-Fayha, who entered the international break near the relegation zone, the team are poised to secure a confident three points.
Al-Hilal
As seen last season, Al-Hilal's success comes from their aggressive and skilful attack, scoring 18 goals in six matches. Before the break, they triumphed away against Al-Ahli, with Aleksandar Mitrović scoring twice after halftime (2:1). Jorge Jesus has seamlessly integrated João Cancelo into the squad, playing him as a right winger in Saudi Arabia—against Al-Rayyan in the AFC Champions League (3:1), Cancelo recorded 1+1.
Al-Fayha
In the same six rounds of the national league, Al-Fayha have conceded 12 goals—only Al-Wehda have a weaker defence, having allowed 16. It was against this opponent that they managed to rally in their last league match, thanks to Fashion Sakala, who previously played for Rangers. Chris Smalling, showcasing average performances in this new league, is unlikely to halt the reigning champion's attack.
Al-Hilal vs Al-Fayha Prediction
Back in December, Al-Fayha couldn't withstand Al-Hilal at home (0:2), and now they face an away challenge. We align with the bookmakers' odds, noting the class difference between the sides.
