The 2024 Swedish Allsvenskan season resumes with an exciting clash between Sirius and Malmo at the Studenternas IP on Friday.
Sirius aims to build on their recent victory, while Malmo looks to bounce back from a rare defeat.
Team Form
Sirius
Sirius secured an emphatic 3-1 victory over GAIS in their last outing, ending a three-match winless streak.
This win moved them to ninth place, just two points short of the top half of the table.
They have been strong at home, remaining unbeaten in their last five matches at Studenternas IP.
Sirius Form: DDLWLW
Malmo
Malmo's eight-game unbeaten streak ended with a 2-1 defeat to Mjallby.
Despite this setback, they sit at the top of the standings with 35 points from 15 matches.
They have been resilient on the road, with only one away defeat in their last five outings.
Malmo Form: DWWDWL
Team News
Sirius
Sirius will be without Tobias Carlsson, who remains sidelined with a knee injury.
Henrik Castegren is expected to retain his spot in the lineup after scoring on his return from suspension.
Possible Starting Lineup: Tannander; Castegren, Nwadike, Jeng, Widgren; Stensson, Walta; Milleskog, Lindberg, Heier; Salech
Malmo
Malmo faces several injury concerns.
Stefano Vecchia is out with a long-term muscle issue, Sergio Pena misses his third consecutive game due to an ankle injury, and both Oscar Lewicki and Anton Tinnerholm are unavailable, with Tinnerholm nearing a return.
Possible Starting Lineup: Dahlin; Busanello, Moisander, Jansson, Larsen; Nanasi, Johnsen, Christiansen, Berg; Thelin, Botheim
Prediction
Malmo aims to recover quickly and maintain their lead in the Allsvenskan standings.
Despite Sirius' strong home form, Malmo's superior quality and depth should see them edge out a victory.
Our Prediction: Sirius 1-2 Malmo
Key Players to Watch
Sirius
Henrik Castegren: A crucial defender who made an impact with a goal last match.
Yousef Salech: A forward who has been pivotal in Sirius' attacking play.
Malmo
Anders Christiansen: Malmo's midfield maestro, crucial in controlling the game's tempo.
Thelin and Botheim: Forward duo expected to lead the line and pose threats to Sirius' defence.