Al Nassr welcome Al Kholood, and with a significant gap already existing between the sides on form, the projected lineup offers a clear indication of Ange Postecoglou’s preferred approach.
Al Nassr come into the match on a three-match winning run. They beat Al-Faisaly 3–1 on October 23, followed a 1–0 win over Neom SC on October 20, and opened that sequence with a 3–0 win over Al Diriyah on October 9. A fourth straight victory would keep them firmly in the title race.
Al Kholood arrive in far worse condition, having lost three consecutive matches. They lost 0–3 to Al-Ettifaq on October 24, were beaten 2–3 by Al-Faisaly on October 15, and before that suffered a heavy 0–5 defeat to Al Qadsiah on October 9. Des Buckingham needs a response just to stop the slide.
Al Nassr projected lineup
Postecoglou lines Al Nassr out in a 4-4-2 built around Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane, with Joao Felix and Abdullah Al-Khaibari expected to supply width and link play from midfield. Inigo Martinez anchors the back line alongside Abdulelah Al Amri, giving the side experience at the center of defense. There are no absences listed, so Postecoglou has his strongest group available as he seeks to extend their winning run.
Al Nassr projected starting XI (4-4-2): Bento Krepski, Nawaf Al-Boushail, Abdulelah Al Amri, Inigo Martínez, Awad Aman, Joao Felix, Samu, Abdullah Al-Khaibari, Sadio Mane, Abdullah Al-Hamdan, Cristiano Ronaldo. Coach: Ange Postecoglou.
Al Kholood projected lineup
Buckingham sets Al Kholood up in a 4-3-3, with Coba da Costa leading the line and Julien Domingues and Gustavo Rodrigues providing support from wide areas. John Buckley and Iker Kortajarena sit in midfield to try to control possession against a stronger opponent. With no absences reported, Buckingham can pick from a full squad as he looks to end a three-game losing run.
Al Kholood projected starting XI (4-3-3): Hamed Al-Shanqiti, Ramzi Solan, Mansour Camara, Shaquille Pinas, Sultan Al-Shahri, Iker Kortajarena, John Buckley, Gustavo Rodrigues, Yaseen Atiah Al Zubaidi, Julien Domingues, Coba da Costa. Coach: Des Buckingham.