Villarreal vs Elche

Villarreal and Elche are set to trade tackles at the Estadio de la Ceramica in an all-Valencian La Liga encounter.

Villarreal cannot catch a break this season, and their awkward La Liga start is open to interpretation. Even though they head into proceedings unbeaten, ‘El Submarino Amarillo’ have drawn each of their inaugural four top-flight matches and could play out five stalemates in a row for the first time in their top-division history. Low scoring has been a common theme in Villarreal’s domestic fixtures this season, as four of five have yielded the identical 0-0 scoreline, including a dismal draw with promoted Mallorca last time out. Unai Emery’s side can fall back on their imperious home form against Valencian visitors, losing just one of their previous 14 top-flight duels with such opposition at La Ceramica (W10, D3). Additionally, they’ve gone unbeaten in their last eight competitive H2Hs (D5, L3) since a 3-2 La Liga loss in May 2013.

As for Elche, they squandered a slender 1-0 half-time lead against Levante at the weekend, drawing 1-1 at home to record their third stalemate in five La Liga fixtures this season (W1, L1). Curiously, though, none of their two league trips this term have ended level (W1, L1), with each game won/lost in that time featuring the identical 1-0 scoreline. An underwhelming recent top-flight record in Valencian derbies away from home might be looming in the forefront of Elche’s minds, as they’ve won none of their last 24 such encounters (D8, L16). Moreover, they’ve drawn a blank in both previous La Liga visits to La Ceramica (D1, L1). On the bright side, though, ‘Los Franjiverdes’ are unbeaten in six of their last seven La Liga outings (W3, D3), all but one of which featured under 2.5 overall goals.