Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Turkish Süper Lig match.
Following their slip-up in the Istanbul derby against Beşiktaş (0:1), Fenerbahçe fans have momentarily put aside title race discussions, as they now trail Galatasaray by six points. Against Eyüpspor, they must aim for nothing less than victory—the Super Lig's sensational newcomers currently sit in the European competition zone despite a habit of conceding numerous goals.
Eyüpspor
It seems the magic of Eyüpspor has waned since the November international break. Over the last four rounds, the newly promoted top division side have managed just one win, conceding 17 goals in 16 matches—only Göztepe have a weaker defence in the top six with 21 goals conceded. Last week against Kasımpaşa (0:2), Eyüpspor struggled under pressure in the second half, allowing 1.14 xGA and 17 shots over 90 minutes against a mid-table rival.
Fenerbahçe
The somewhat limited style of the Portuguese manager has led Fenerbahçe to a few setbacks, yet they remain in strong positions across two competitions. Since late September, they have scored at least two goals in 10 out of 15 Süper Lig and European competition matches. Their home game against Başakşehir (3:1) highlighted the strength of the squad, as Youssef En-Nesyri clinched victory with a brace off the bench.
Eyüpspor vs Fenerbahçe Prediction
In their inaugural meeting with Eyüpspor, Fenerbahçe are poised to put substantial pressure on the newcomers' defence. We're backing the individual total of this more prestigious and experienced side, whose pursuit of the title is still very much alive.
