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Al-Nassr, currently on a winning streak of five matches across different competitions, will conclude their 2023 fixtures by facing Al-Taawoun at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium on Saturday.
Al Dhiaab, positioned fourth in the Saudi Pro League standings, faced a setback in their recent match, losing 3-1 to Al-Fateh. This loss places them nine points behind second-placed Al-Nassr, who secured a 5-2 victory against Al-Ittihad on Boxing Day last season.
Al-Taawoun had been steadily climbing the rankings throughout the month but encountered their first December defeat last week. Despite narrowly missing out on the AFC Champions League Elite in previous seasons, they're currently in contention for a top-three spot, trailing Al-Ahli Saudi by only three points for third place.
Initially unbeaten in their first six home games, Al-Taawoun has suffered two losses in their last three league matches at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium. Under Pericles Chamusca's leadership, they've gathered 34 points from 18 matches in this competition, three points more than their tally at the same stage last season.
Under Chamusca's guidance, Al-Taawoun has conceded the second-fewest goals in the Saudi Pro League this season (18). They've allowed only one goal or fewer in almost all their home games in this competition and secured three clean sheets in Buraidah.
In recent encounters, they've held off Al-Nassr's strong offense, preventing them from scoring in two of their last three meetings, including a 2-0 away victory against them earlier in the competition.
Al-Nassr continued their winning streak with another impressive second-half performance this week. Scoring three goals after the break secured their fourth consecutive league victory.
Luis Castro's halftime talks have been impactful, reflected in Al-Nassr's ability to outscore opponents 7-2 in the last three matches' second halves. After their initial away loss to Al-Ettifaq (2-1), they've claimed three points in seven of their last eight away games.
Despite their recent improvements in closing out games, Al-Nassr has let slip four points this season when leading at halftime. This has placed them seven points behind Al-Hilal in the league title race.
Their defensive inconsistencies are apparent when compared to Al-Hilal, as the league leaders have conceded only nine goals domestically, while Al-Nassr has allowed 22 so far.
In the upcoming match against Al-Taawoun, Al-Nassr aims to improve their record, having lost two of their last three away encounters. Their last victory at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium against Al-Taawoun happened during the 2021-22 campaign with a 1-0 scoreline.
The hosts faced their first league loss this month in their recent match, going down 3-1 at home to Al Fateh. João Pedro scored in injury time of the second half, but it wasn't enough as Al Taawoun conceded three goals in the first half.
Following the defeat, they dropped to fourth place in the league standings, with Al Ahli securing a comfortable 4-0 victory over Al Hazem. Despite this setback, they maintain a four-point lead over fifth-placed Damac, ensuring a fourth-place finish before the winter break.
The visitors secured a convincing 5-2 win against Al Ittihad in their last game. Cristiano Ronaldo netted two penalties, while Sadio Mane scored twice in seven minutes during the second half. Abderrazak Hamdallah also scored twice against his former team to salvage pride for the reigning champions.
Heading into the winter break, Al Nassr sits in second place, trailing league leaders Al Hilal by seven points but holding a three-point advantage over Al Ahli.
These teams have clashed 32 times across all competitions. The visitors hold the advantage in their head-to-head record with 22 wins, while the hosts have won six, and four games ended in draws. In the reverse fixture, Al Taawoun secured a 2-0 win, marking their first away victory against the capital club. They aim for their first league double over them.
Al Nassr has enjoyed 5-2 victories in their last two away games, scoring five goals in five away games this season. The venue for Saturday's game has seen the last three league meetings end in 1-0 scorelines, with two wins for the hosts and one for the visitors.
Al Taawoun boasts the second-best defensive record in the Saudi Pro League, conceding 18 goals in as many games. However, their recent defensive form has waned, keeping just one clean sheet in their last six games.
Their home performance has seen just one win in their last five outings, with both scoring and conceding seven goals each. Nevertheless, they've won five of their last seven home encounters against the visitors, keeping three clean sheets, and aim to capitalize on home advantage.
After a loss to Al Hilal, Al-Alami witnessed an upswing in form, remaining unbeaten in five games with four consecutive wins. They've shown a resurgence in goal-scoring, netting 18 times in these games. With seven wins in their last eight away games, they enter as strong favorites. Manager Luís Castro is likely to stick with the same starting XI from their 5-2 win over Al Ittihad, aiming to end the year positively.