Besiktas vs Samsunspor preview, prediction, team news, and head-to-head

Besiktas had big aspirations coming into the new season, but a combination of some poor results and indecisiveness in front of goal has seen them outside the top four after 12 rounds.

Beşiktaş returned to winning ways just before the break with a solid 3-1 victory over Antalyaspor, bouncing back from their dramatic 3-2 defeat to Fenerbahçe a week earlier.

They currently sit in sixth place after 12 games played. The hosts have struggled for consistency this season and need improvements to remain in contention for European qualification.

Samsunspor are only three points and two places above their weekend hosts, but are in much better form, having avoided defeat in their last 11 games across all competitions, including five wins in their last six games.

The visitors needed an 85th-minute deadlock-breaker from Toni Borevković to secure a 1-0 win over Eyüpspor last time out, and they will need to put up an even better performance when they visit Istanbul on Sunday.

The sides have met on 67 previous occasions. Besiktas have dominated the fixture with 38 wins, while 18 have ended in draws, and Samsunspor have won the remaining 11.

Besiktas have picked up two wins and two draws in the last four editions of this fixture.

Besiktas are facing injury concerns ahead of this fixture. Key players such as Rafa Silva and Necip Uysal are sidelined with muscle and bursitis issues, respectively. On the positive side, Tammy Abraham remains the club’s leading scorer and will be central to their attacking hopes.

For Samsunspor, the squad has been in strong shape, though there are still minor injury concerns: Afonso Sousa is ruled out with a knee injury, while Soner Aydoğdu and E. Kılınç are carrying thigh problems.

Besiktas: Mert Günok, Jonas Svensson, Gabriel Paulista, Tiago Djaló, Rıdvan Yılmaz, Wilfred Ndidi, Salih Uçan, Cengiz Ünder, Orkun Kökçü, Václav Černý, Tammy Abraham.

Samsunspor: Okan Kocuk, Zeki Yavru, Rick van Drongelen, Ľubomír Šatka, Logi Tómasson, Antoine Makoumbou, Olivier Ntcham, Anthony Musaba, Carlo Holse, Emre Kılınç, Marius Mouandilmadji.

Besiktas are slight favorites going into this one as they have the more talented set of players and the home advantage, but they will need to be at their best to ensure they get all three points.

Correct score prediction on Livescore Bet: Besiktas 2-0 Samsunspor

• Besiktas to win

• Over 1.5 goals