Elche vs Espanyol Predictions & Match Preview

Elche vs Espanyol predictions and match preview for Saturday’s LaLiga fixture. Read on for expert analysis, the head-to-head, team news and predicted lineups as Elche aim to extend their unbeaten start on home soil.

Elche vs Espanyol Preview

Espanyol travel to the Valencian region to face Elche on Saturday in LaLiga. They do so in good spirits having won 3 of their last 4 league games to really start building some momentum on their return to the top flight.

Elche fans will be pretty content with how their team has started too. They sit 14th after 9 games, a significant improvement on last season when they looked highly likely to go down for much of it before pulling off a late escape. Fran Escriba was helped out by some strong summer recruitment and they have looked more competitive overall this time around.

However they do come into the game on the back of a defeat in the form of a 2-1 loss in Vallecas against Rayo. They led that game through Lucas Boye but suffered what may prove a damaging loss against one of the teams they’d have expected to have been battling with for survival this season. They’ll be happy to be back on home soil here though with Elche currently undefeated on their own ground this season in LaLiga.

Espanyol’s success has also primarily come at home. They’ve won their last 3 home matches building on from their formidable home record in the Segunda Division last term. However they’ve only mustered up 2 points from their 4 away games. They’ve not won a top flight away game since January 2020 at Villarreal, with the winless run stretching to 13 games.

They shouldn’t have to wait too long to have an away win to celebrate again. Espanyol have looked organised and competitive at this level and they have a sprinkling of attacking quality too. Raul De Tomas was on target again as they beat Cadiz 2-0 last time out while there was also a nice moment for youngster Nico Melamed who came off the bench to score his first top flight goal.

Head to Head

• Last 5 Competitive Meetings: 2 Espanyol Wins, 2 Elche Wins, 1 Draw.
• There have been 2 league meetings on this ground this century, both won by Elche in 2013 and 2014.
• Espanyol were 3-2 winners in the Copa del Rey here in 2003.
• Both teams have scored in all 5 meetings this century.

Team News

Diego González is an injury doubt for the hosts but otherwise they should be at full strength for this one.

Javi Puado and Keidi Bare are out injured for the visitors. Aleix Vidal is a doubt.

Predicted Elche Starting Lineup:

Casilla – Mojica, Bigas, Verdu, Palacios – Fidel, Mascarell, Guti, Piatti – Benedetto, Boye (4-4-2)

Predicted Espanyol Starting Lineup:

Lopez – Pedrosa, Cabrera, Gomez, Gil – Darder, Lopez – Embarba, Melendo, Wu – R.D.T. (4-2-3-1)

Elche vs Espanyol Predictions

Score Prediction: Elche 1-1 Espanyol

This promises to be a pretty even game. Espanyol perhaps have slightly more about them overall but Elche don’t lose many at home any more following the appointment of Escriba. A low-scoring draw may be the outcome here.

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