Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the La Liga match.
Celta Vigo's ongoing crisis is edging them ever closer to their familiar spot near the relegation zone. Alavés secured a long-awaited victory in the last round, but with both Espanyol and Valencia also winning, the battle for safety is heating up.
Alavés
A successful trip to Seville resulted in a 3:1 win against Real Betis, snapping Alavés' seven-match winless streak. Since the start of December, they have tightened up defensively, conceding only 5.63 xG over five rounds, ranking them fourth-best in the league. At home, they tend to play a more reserved game, with matches not exceeding a total over 2.5 since October, spanning four consecutive fixtures.
Celta Vigo
For Celta Vigo, this month has been less favourable as they have been plagued by a string of injuries affecting key players like Iago Aspas and Alfon González. Last Sunday, against Athletic Bilbao, Vigo generated just 0.59 xG and experienced further challenges with Óscar Mingueza joining the suspended Marcos Alonso after receiving a red card. Since 1 December, though, Celta Vigo have maintained a solid defensive record, conceding only five goals in five matches, matching Espanyol as the second-best defence.
Alavés vs Celta Vigo Prediction
It seems both sides in this relegation battle won’t be generous in gifting scoring opportunities. Alavés and Celta Vigo are likely to play out an unremarkable match, scoring no more than two goals.
