Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Saudi Pro League match.
A decent transfer campaign during the last off-season hasn't helped Al-Ahli close the gap on their rivals—they already trail league leaders Al-Hilal by 11 points. Facing their table neighbour Al-Khaleej, the team will have to adopt an assertive approach—they need to secure points on the road against an underdog.
Al-Khaleej
In last season's campaign, Al-Khaleej finished just 5 points clear of the relegation zone, with their tally of 36 goals in 34 matches being the third worst. Before the international break, the team suffered a heavy defeat to Al-Ittihad (1:4) and then narrowly edged Al-Kholood (1:0), managing just four shots on target over the 90 minutes. Al-Khaleej lack top-tier players even by Saudi Arabian standards—Konstantinos Fortounis and Marcel Tisserand are not expected to challenge their next opponent much.
Al-Ahli
Earlier in October, Al-Ahli came close to an upset—in their match against Al-Hilal, they led at halftime but ultimately succumbed to Aleksandar Mitrović's brace (1:2). Nevertheless, Matthias Jaissle has effectively integrated their star newcomer Ivan Toney (2+1 in the tournament), who consistently receives chances from Gabri Veiga and Riyad Mahrez, and has pushed Roberto Firmino out of the starting lineup. Despite a few losses, the team have the capability to return to the title race—the coaching staff will motivate the players.
Al-Khaleej vs Al-Ahli Prediction
Last season, Al-Khaleej didn't manage to take any points from Al-Ahli (1:3, 0:1). The visitors are expected to be superior once again—their class advantage across the lines speaks for itself.
