The Chinese Super League is well under way and its little surprise to see Guangzhou Evergrande sitting top of the table after 18 games played. Guangzhou Evergrande is the most valuable football club in China and one of the most successful in recent times. They have won the Chinese Super League in each of the last six seasons and are on course to make it seven in a row this season.
Guangzhou Evergrande have also won the Asian Champions League twice and are the favourites to add another one to their name in 2017.
This week Guangzhou Evergrande travel to play local rivals Guangzhou R and F, who currently sit in midtable.
Guangzhou R and F Form
This season has seen some tough times for Guangzhou R and F but they seemed to have steadied the ship recently.
Last week they played host to Yanbian Funde and recorded a fantastic 6-2 victory in-front of their own fans. This was their second win in a row, having previously defeated Guangzhou Evergrande 4-2 at home in the first leg of the Chinese FA Cup.
At home, the 2 wins above have been the only 2 in their last 7 games. There have been 3 draws and 2 defeats and Guangzhou R and F have kept only one clean sheet across all 7 matches. If they can start picking up more victories they may be able to break into the top three.
Guangzhou Evergrande Form
July has proved a difficult month for Guangzhou Evergrande who have won only 1 of their 5 games during this period.
The defeat to Guangzhou R and F in the Chinese FA Cup was a surprise, as were the 2 defeats in the Chinese Super League at the hands of Tianjin Quanjian and Beijing Guoan. Interestingly, all 3 defeats have come away from home.
Having enjoyed a good spell of away form through April and May, Guangzhou Evergrande have struggled on their travels and have won just 1 of the last 5 which was back in the middle of June. Since then there have been 3 defeats and 1 draw.
Conceding goals has become a real problem and Guangzhou Evergrande have conceded 12 in their last 4 away matches.
Team News
Guangzhou R and F will be without left winger Zhizhao Chen who is suspended for this match. However, key midfielders Eran Zahavi and Junior Urso are set to start the match.
Guangzhou Evergrande will be without holding midfielder Zhi Zheng but the Brazilian trio of Paulinho, Alan and Ricardo Goulart are all available for selection.
Top Betting Tips
Given the recent form of both teams’ home and away and the result in the Chinese FA Cup, Guangzhou R and F must see this as an opportunity to put another one over the league leaders this weekend. Guangzhou R and F are 3/1 with Ladbrokes to win this game.
Guangzhou R and F have struggled to keep clean sheets at home and come up against a team who have failed to score only once in their last 12 away games. Guangzhou Evergrande have also had defensive problems away from home and both teams to score is 4/9 with Ladbrokes.
Eran Zahavi has been in tremendous goal scoring form for Guangzhou R and F this season, scoring 18 goals in 18 games. Zahavi can be backed at 4/1 to get the first goal of the game.