Al-Nassr will look to extend their unbeaten start to the 2024-2025 Saudi Pro League season when they travel to the Al Shabab at the Al Shabab FC Stadium on Friday evening.

The Knights of Najd have drawn two and won four of their first six matches, and are currently on a three-match winning streak.

Match example

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Al Shabab finished in eighth place last season, down from fourth place in the 2022-2023 season. Poor performance during the season led to Igor Biscan‘s dismissal at the end of December 2023 when the team was in 13th place.

Vitor Pereira was appointed in early February 2024 and his efforts helped them finish the season in eighth place, leaving the team hoping for better performances this season.

However, the White Lions lost to Al-Ettifaq in their opening match in the competition before bouncing back to win four consecutive matches against Al-Khaleej, Al-Qadisiyah, Al-Taawoun and Al-Raed.

The winning point moved Al Shabab into the top three, but a 1-0 defeat to Damac in their most recent match saw Pereira’s side drop to fourth place with 12 points after six games.

Next in line for the White Lions is a home match with Al-Nassr, a team they last beat in 2021. Notably, their win against Al-Nassr hosted this match that year.

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However, the Knights of Najd would hope to extend their unbeaten run to eight matches in all competitions in this match, having won five and drawn two of the previous seven.

Al-Nassr will look to secure another unbeaten run in this match, having won four and drawn two of their six league matches so far, the most recent being a 3-0 win over Al Orubah.

Christiano Ronaldo scored his fifth league goal, converting from the spot to put his side ahead early Sadio Mane grabbed a brace to round off the win Stefano Pioli‘s men.

Pioli, who replaced the sacked Luis Castro on September 18, has won all five games in all competitions since taking charge of the team.

Since losing 4-1 to Al Hilal in the Super Cup on August 17, the Knights of Najd have not lost a single match in all competitions, including five away matches, two of which were in the Saudi Pro-League.

Form Al Shabab Saudi Pro League:

Al-Nassr Saudi Pro League Form:

Team news

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Sami Al Najei will not play for Al-Nassr until June 2025, as he is still recovering from a cruciate ligament injury.

Ronaldo will be hoping to extend his five league goals as team leader as he is already four behind the current top scorer.

Meanwhile, Al Shabab will have to make do without 30-year-old winger Fahad Al Muwalladas he will continue his time on the sidelines with an injury.

Yannick Carrascowho has found the net just once for the visitors in the league this season, is expected to lead the attack once again.

Possible starting line-up of Al Shabab:
Kim; Cuellar, Hoedt, Renan; Al-Sibyani, Kanabah, Guanca, Al-Thani; Al-Juwayr, Carrasco, Bonaventura

Possible starting line-up of Al-Nassr:
Bento; Al Ghanam, Simakan, Laporte, Boushal; Brozovic, Al-Khaibari; Otavio Talisca, Mane; Ronaldo

We say: Al Shabab 0-2 Al-Nassr

Al Shabab have been consistent this season, but they have lacked clinical finishing, scoring more than one goal in just one match so far, and this could be their downfall against an Al-Nassr team that boasts the third best attack in the league and has dominated this competition in recent years.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match, click here.

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