Villarreal vs Deportivo Alaves

Villarreal and Deportivo Alaves are set to trade tackles at Estadio de la Ceramica in a high-stakes La Liga encounter.

Villarreal’s bid to secure a top-four finish in La Liga for the first time since 2015/16 got back on track last weekend as a 2-1 win at Valladolid saw them end a two-game winless league run (D1, L1). Despite commencing this round in fourth, ‘El Submarino Amarillo’ can’t take anything for granted, with only goal difference separating them from fifth-placed Osasuna. Marcelino Garcia Toral’s men seem decent value to expand the gap at the end of this matchday, considering they’ve only lost one La Liga fixture at home this season – to runaway leaders Barcelona (W2, D2 otherwise). A late drama could be in store, with five of Villarreal’s six top-flight victories this season clinched thanks to match-winners scored beyond the 80th minute.

Meanwhile, out-of-sorts Deportivo Alaves got their long-serving manager, Luis Garcia Plaza, off the hook with a hard-fought 1-0 home triumph against Mallorca last weekend. However, there’s no room for complacency, even though they arrested a humiliating five-game losing league run. The visitors need points to steer away from the danger zone, with only four separating them from 18th-placed Las Palmas ahead of this round. Leaving the comforts of their home doesn’t bode well as they’ve suffered five defeats on their six La Liga travels this season (W1), including the last four in a row, three of which saw them concede at least two goals.