Molde will aim for consecutive victories when they host Sarpsborg 08 at the Aker Stadion on Monday in the ninth round of the 2024 Norwegian Eliteserien season.
Sarpsborg 08, on the other hand, are looking to avoid a third straight defeat and revitalise following their challenging start to the campaign.
Team Form and Performance
Molde
Molde returned to winning form with a dominant 4-0 victory against Odd at Skagerak Arena.
Key performances from Magnus Eikrem, who scored twice in the first half, and second-half goals from Mathias Lovik and Aaron Olanare secured the comprehensive win. This victory leaves Molde third in the Eliteserien standings, five points behind league leaders Bodo/Glimt, despite having played an extra game.
The home side boasts an impressive record at Aker Stadion, remaining unbeaten in 14 of their last 15 home matches across all competitions. They have won their last seven encounters against Sarpsborg 08 since the visitors' last win in 2021. This formidable home form makes Molde the favourite to claim all three points.
Sarpsborg
Sarpsborg 08 endured a humiliating 7-1 defeat to HamKam in their previous outing.
Despite a goal from Pawel Chrupalla, the visitors were thoroughly outplayed, conceding heavily in both halves.
This result leaves them second from bottom in the league table with just seven points from eight matches, and their defensive frailties will be a significant concern heading into this clash.
Team News
Magnus Eikrem has been a standout player for Molde, scoring five goals in his last six appearances. Veton Berisha remains sidelined with an injury sustained in March.
Sarpsborg's Pawel Chrupalla, who scored in the last match, might start, while Serge-Junior Ngouali is still unavailable due to injury.
Predicted Lineups
Molde: Posiadala; Hagelskjaer, Oyvann, Amundsen; Lovik, Breivik, Kaasa, Eriksen, Stenevik; Eikrem, Gulbrandsen.
Sarpsborg 08: Ilic; Hiim, Skipper, Odegaard, Reinhardsen; Andersen, Sher; Chrupalla, Johansen, Orjasaeter; Meister.
Prediction
Given Molde's excellent home form and Sarpsborg's recent defensive struggles, a comfortable victory for Molde is anticipated.
We predict a 3-1 win for Molde, continuing their strong run at home.
Molde 
Sarpsborg 08 
