Zenit looking to grip Russian title
CSKA Moscow host Russian Premier League leaders Zenit on Sunday with the visitors looking to secure another title. Can the capital club break recent form and cause a shock? Have a read of our preview here:
Recent form tells the story for CSKA
Once the powerhouse of Russian football, CSKA have seen their thrown move north to St Petersburg. The team of the army have not won a league title since 2016 but are still one of the better teams in the country.
They currently sit fifth in the table, 14 points behind Zenit and look as though getting a top-three finish is the main aim. They are only five points behind Lokomotiv, their city rivals who currently occupy the third position with Krasnodar also on 41 points.
CSKA will need to improve on their recent form if they are to stand a chance of catching any of those above them.
Viktor Goncharekno’s side have not won in their last five games and have only picked up three points twice in the last 11 matches.
They rely heavily on Croatian star Nikola Vlasic who has netted eight times this season, while the 29 chances he has created are also a team-high, jointly shared with Fyodor Chalov.
With only four goals in their last five it is clear the problem lies in scoring. To put that into context, Zenit scored seven in their last match alone and have hit 11 in their last five games.
It will need a top display from Koni if they are to stop Zenit’s grip at the top, hard to see that happening if recent performances are anything to go by.
Zenit bossing the defensive stats
Zenit are currently on an 11-game unbeaten run and in that time they have only conceded five goals.
Unbelievable stuff and the key reason why they are nine points clear at the top of the Russian Premier league, heading for their first back-to-back title since 2012.
The backline has been the foundation of their success with only 10 goals conceded in 22 games this season, a remarkable effort highlighted by their 12 clean-sheets.
They will be expected to win on Sunday after smashing seven past Ural in their last game.
Artem Dzyuba has netted 13 in the league and created 50 chances in all competitions to stand out as the visitor's key man but CSKA will also have to watch out for Iranian star Sardar Azmoun.
CSKA Moscow v Zenit St Petersburg betting tip
Hard to see past an away victory in this one. CSKA have been far too inconsistent to rely on them winning here so we are going for a Zenit win at odds of 13/10 with Betfair, decent value at a 2.2 shot.
