Al-Ittifaq vs Al-Nasr. Will Ronaldo and company stop Gerrard?

On Friday, September 20, a match between Al-Ittifaq and Al-Nasr will take place at Al-Ittifaq Stadium in Dammam as part of the 4th round of the Saudi Arabian Championship.

• Expert Predictions Analysis
• Al-Ittifaq vs Al-Nasr facts
• Odds
• Game Totals Prediction

Our Expert Predictions & Analysis on Al-Ittifaq vs Al-Nasr

Al-Ittifaq

Steven Gerrard's team is having a great start to the new season! Three wins in three matches and they are in the top three together with Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad, who are also currently on 100% in the points column.

Yes, Al-Ittifaq's victories are not striking in their brightness - all opponents were beaten with a difference of one goal, and among them there were no giants of Saudi football - Al-Shabab (1:0 away), Al-Ohdood (1:0 at home) and Al-Fateh (2:1 away). However, the main result of this starting period for Gerrard's team is the stability in scoring points. Al-Ittifaq could not boast of three victories in a row in the championship since September 2023. And if they get the fourth, they will repeat the record series of distant 2012.

The key to the stability of Steven Gerrard's team's results seems to be the stability of the squad. Al-Ittifaq did not make any big transfers last summer, strengthening only the most problematic positions (for example, the goalkeeper, inviting Slovakian Marek Rodek from Fulham). But the team did not suffer any serious personnel losses either. The best players of last season, led by Moussa Dembele, remained in the "roster" and are already making the difference in the new campaign. For example, Dembele scored half of all Al-Ittifaq's goals in the new championship, and both of these goals were decisive, winning ones.

Al-Nasr

This was not the start Al-Nasr's fans were expecting. Instead of 9 points and a title chase, Cristiano Ronaldo and company managed to take only 5 points, ending up in 7th place after three rounds, and have already allowed their opponents to take away valuable tournament points twice.

True, if the first misfire was truly sensational – Al-Nasr tied with Al-Raed at home (1:1), then the second loss of points was to some extent expected. After all, the opponents were a much more formidable Al-Ahli, with a large number of legionnaires in the squad, which almost won on the field of the "Blue-Yellows", but Luis Castro's charges still managed to save the draw in the last minutes of the added time (1:1).

In addition to all of Al-Nasr's problems with the game, there are also personnel problems. The main one is the viral infection of the team leader Cristiano Ronaldo, due to which the Portuguese did not take part in the team's first match in the Asian Champions League against Iraqi Al-Shorta (a 1:1 draw). Minor injuries also affected summer newcomers Wesley and Simakan. And for all of these players, the final decision on their participation in the match against Al-Ittifaq will be made immediately before the match, or even on the day of the game.

Al-Ittifaq vs Al-Nasr facts

• Al-Ittifaq have lost only one of their last eight home matches in the Saudi League
• Al-Ittifaq have scored exactly 1 goal in their last 4 home league matches
• Al Nasr are unbeaten in their last 10 away matches in the Saudi Arabian Premier League, winning 9 of them.
• Al Nasr have scored at least 2 goals in their last 3 away league matches

Odds from download 1xbet

In the bookmaker's office 1xbet, the favorite of the match of the Saudi Arabian championship is considered to be the Al-Nasr team, a bet on their victory can be made with a coefficient of 1.70. The coefficient for the victory of Al-Ittifaq is 4.30, and a draw in this match can be bet on for 4.05. Download 1xbet to your phone and place a bet on the favorite!

Game Totals Prediction

Ronaldo will most likely have time to recover from the virus, but even with the Portuguese in the lineup, Al-Nasr will have a hard time breaking through the defense skillfully built by Steven Gerrard in his team. We expect low-scoring football in this match, the fate of which will be decided by one, maximum two goals. Therefore, we offer a bet on the total under 3 goals with a coefficient of exactly 1.87.