Preview: Vitoria de Guimaraes vs. Sporting Lisbon - prediction, team news, lineups

Sporting Lisbon volition anticipation to support their slim vantage astatine the apical of the Primeira Liga array erstwhile they question to Estadio Dom Afonso Henriques wherever they volition look Vitoria de Guimaraes connected Friday.

The hosts person 24 points and are successful sixth spot pursuing their 2-2 gully with Farense connected December 29, portion the visitors are archetypal with 40 points but are lone up of second-placed Porto arsenic a effect of their superior head-to-head record.

Match preview

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Vitoria de Guimaraes volition beryllium immensely disappointed that they failed to assertion 3 points past clip retired considering they had taken a 2-1 pb successful the 90th infinitesimal but conceded a 98th-minute equaliser.

In caput manager Daniel Sousa's defence, the lucifer was his archetypal crippled successful complaint of the nine since his assignment connected December 26.

Sousa took implicit from Rui Borges, who was himself appointed manager of Sporting connected Boxing Day, and the existent Conquerors' brag arrived aft being sacked from his erstwhile presumption arsenic Braga brag successful August 2024 contempt lone taking complaint of 4 games.

Vitoria de Guimaraes are unbeaten successful their 5 astir caller fixtures but person drawn their past 4 outings, scoring 7 and conceding 7 successful that time.

The hosts' grounds astatine location this play is phenomenal considering they person won 10, drawn 3 and mislaid conscionable 1 of their 14 matches astatine Estadio Dom Afonso Henriques.

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Sporting beat Benfica 1-0 past Sunday successful the league and moved 2 points wide of their rubric rivals successful a tense lucifer that saw some teams make 2 large chances.

Borges is the visitors' 3rd manager of 2024-25, with Ruben Amorim having near to articulation Manchester United successful November and Joao Pereira sacked successful precocious December having mislaid 4 and drawn 1 of his 8 games successful charge.

Sporting mightiness person won 3 of their past 4 fixtures successful each competitions, but they person dropped 8 points successful their 5 astir caller league matches, losing doubly successful that period.

The Green and Whites are winless successful their past 3 distant outings – losing 2 – though they did triumph 8 and gully 1 of the erstwhile 9 games connected the road.

Borges's broadside boast the league's champion violative and 3rd champion antiaircraft records having scored 44 goals and conceded 10 times successful the Primeira Liga.

Vitoria de Guimaraes Primeira Liga form:

Vitoria de Guimaraes signifier (all competitions):

Sporting Lisbon Primeira Liga form:

Sporting Lisbon signifier (all competitions):

Team News

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Vitoria de Guimaraes volition not beryllium capable to prime right-back Bruno Gaspar oregon centre-back Toni Borevkovic until the mediate of January, truthful expect the hosts to commencement Alberto Baio, Oscar Rivas, Mikel Villanueva and Joao Mendes successful defence.

Tiago Silva and Manuel Silva played successful a treble pivot past clip out, and it would not beryllium astonishing to spot them clasp the places successful the XI.

Striker Gustavo Silva scored against Farense, and helium is apt to beryllium flanked by wingers Kaio Cesar and Nuno Santos connected Friday.

Meanwhile, Sporting volition beryllium without defenders Goncalo Inacio, Eduardo Quaresma and Nuno Santos, truthful possibly Borges volition tract a backline featuring defenders Ousmane Diomande, Jeremiah St. Juste, Matheus Reis and Ivan Fresneda.

Morten Hjulmand and Hidemasa Morita played successful a treble pivot against Benfica and could commencement unneurotic erstwhile again, though midfielder Daniel Braganca has been ruled out.

Forward Pedro Goncalves is scheduled to instrumentality to enactment successful the mediate of January, and successful his lack Geny Catamo, Francisco Trincao and Geovany Quenda are astir definite to enactment striker Viktor Gyokeres.

Vitoria de Guimaraes imaginable starting lineup:
Varela; Baio, Rivas, Villanueva, Mendes; T Silva, M Silva; Cesar, Mendes, Santos; G Silva

We say: Vitoria de Guimaraes 1-2 Sporting Lisbon

Vitoria de Guimaraes volition nary uncertainty marque Friday's clash a competitory matter fixed they mislaid their manager to the visitors.

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