Sports Mole previews Monday’s La Liga clash between Villarreal and Las Palmas, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Villarreal will be aiming to make it successive victories in Spain’s top flight when they welcome struggling Las Palmas to Estadio de la Ceramica on Monday night.
The Yellow Submarine have picked up 14 points from their opening seven matches of the season to sit fifth in the table, while Las Palmas are bottom, having collected just three points from their first seven games.
Match preview
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Villarreal boast a record of four wins, two draws and one defeat from their seven matches this season, with a total of 14 points leaving them in fifth spot in the table, level on points with fourth-placed Mallorca.
The Yellow Submarine have been largely impressive this season, with their only defeat coming at home to Barcelona, but it was a big one, suffering a 5-1 loss to the division leaders on September 22.
Marcelino‘s side managed to bounce back on Thursday evening, though, recording a 2-1 victory over Espanyol, with Ayoze Perez coming up with a brace for the visitors after Jofre Carreras had made the breakthrough.
Perez has been excellent for Villarreal this season, scoring six times in seven appearances, and Villarreal will be expecting to push for the top six this term after finishing a disappointing eighth in 2023-24.
The Yellow Submarine actually lost both matches against Las Palmas during the 2023-24 campaign, including a 2-1 defeat in the corresponding match, so they will be looking for revenge on Monday night.
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Las Palmas finished 16th in La Liga last season on their return to the top flight, so it was a successful campaign, but there is no getting away from the fact that it has been a tough start to 2024-25.
Indeed, Luis Carrion‘s side have only picked up three points from their opening seven matches courtesy of a record of three wins and four defeats, and they are bottom of the division.
It is far too soon to hit the panic button, but Las Palmas do need to get a victory on the board as soon as possible, as the gap to the teams above them will start to open if their winless run continues.
Los Amarillos suffered three straight defeats to Alaves, Athletic Bilbao and Osasuna between September 1 and September 21, but they did manage to claim a point in a 1-1 draw with Real Betis on Thursday night.
As mentioned, Las Palmas also did a league double over Villarreal last term, and they have been victorious in three of their last five top-flight fixtures with the Yellow Submarine.
Villarreal La Liga form:
Las Palmas La Liga form:
Team News
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Villarreal have five players currently on the sidelines through injury, with Yeremy Pino, Willy Kambwala, Gerard Moreno, Juan Foyth and Alfonso Pedraza unavailable for selection.
Raul Albiol is also a major doubt, having been replaced in the first half of the clash with Espanyol last time out, which should open the door for Eric Bailly to come into the XI.
Bailly for Albiol may be the only change from Thursday night, though, as Perez is certain to continue in the final third of the field, while Santi Comesana is set to retain his spot in central midfield.
As for Las Palmas, Mika Marmol, Marvin Park and Scott McKenna have been ruled out through injury, while Sandro Ramirez is a major doubt.
Ramirez was replaced in the latter stages of the first half against Real Betis, which could open the door for Oli McBurnie to feature in the final third of the field.
McBurnie is still waiting for his first goal for the club after arriving from Sheffield United over the summer, and the Scotland international may start alongside Alberto Moleiro in a front two.
Villarreal possible starting lineup:
Conde; Femenia, Bailly, Costa, S Cardona; Akomach, Comesana, Gueye, Baena; Perez, Barry
Las Palmas possible starting lineup:
Cillessen; Rozada, Herzog, Munoz, Sinkgraven; Essugo, Loiodice, K Rodriguez; F Silva, McBurnie, Moleiro
We say: Villarreal 2-0 Las Palmas
Las Palmas enjoyed their meetings with Villarreal last season, but we are finding it very difficult to back the visitors to pick up a positive result on Monday night. Villarreal have made a strong start to the campaign, and the Yellow Submarine should win this without any major drama.
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