Rayo Vallecano vs Espanyol

Recent form suggests Rayo Vallecano are in a worrying slump — 1 wins, 1 draws and 3 losses in their last 5. They have scored freely averaging 1.6 goals per game, while conceding 2.8.

Now to Espanyol, whose recent form offers a separate set of clues about how this one could play out. Espanyol come into this on the back of a mixed run of form, having taken 7 points from their last 5 matches. Averaging 1.6 goals scored per game, Espanyol's attack has misfired rarely; at the other end, 1.0 goals per game have gone in. In recent encounters between these sides, the results have been fairly evenly split, with 3 home wins, 3 away wins and 0 draws. With 14 goals in 6 games (2.3 per match), the fixture has tended to be more measured.

Expect attacking ambition here: both sides have regularly found the net, and each will back themselves to outscore the other. It could take several goals to settle this fixture. Form and personnel are remarkably balanced heading into this one, and the margin between the sides could be razor-thin. Fresh legs from the bench could prove pivotal in the closing stages.

This could genuinely go either way, with neither side holding an obvious edge on recent evidence. The team in better form holds a slight edge, but this is far from a foregone conclusion. The stage is set in the La Liga; kick-off cannot come soon enough.