FC Porto vs CD Santa Clara Prediction: Nothing To Expect Other Than A Commanding Victory For The Dragões

FC Porto welcome relegation zone candidates CD Santa Clara to the Estádio do Dragão in search of their third consecutive victory in the 28th round of the Primeira Liga.

Will CD Santa Clara, who has struggled for consistency, be able to cause an upset and snatch all three points away from home, or will they be met with another disappointing result?

Let's have a look at the latest Portuguese Primeira Liga predictions between FC Porto vs CD Santa Clara, probable lineups, match facts and up to date betting odds for you to consider!

FC Porto

Form: WWDWW

As was to be expected, the Dragões rose to the occasion in this particularly teacher-and-student scenario, thrusting the dagger straight into the Eagles' hearts as they won the O Classico by defeating league leaders Benfica 2:1 on the road.

In that game, Diogo Costa's unfortunate own goal gave their bitter rivals a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute, but Mateus Uribe was there to restore parity with a goal of his own in the 45th minute and the second half saw Mehdi Taremi with a goal in the 54th to give his side the upper hand, a goal that will live indelible in the minds of the Eagles.

They not only shocked their opponent with a loss, but they also put a stop to their 10-match winning streak in the Primeira Liga. For them, it was a confidence-boosting victory that extended their unbeaten away run to twelve games, winning eight and drawing four.

In the standings, they occupy second place with 64 points, having reduced a 10-point deficit to 7 points in their pursuit of first place.

Probable Starting XI

Formation: 4-4-2

Costa; Manafa, Pepe, Marcano, Wendell; Otavio, Grujic, Uribe, Galeno; Taremi, Pepe

CD Santa Clara

Form: LLLLL

Home advantage didn't help Os Açoreanos avoid a less appealing result in their recent match, as they fell to a 1:0 defeat against FC Vizela, conceding a goal in the 31st minute and having no response left in the tank to overturn the decision in search of an equalizer.

Their form has been awful, as they have an eight-match losing skid, conceding 17 goals in the process, and it's also worth noting that they are winless in their last 14 matches recording twelve losses, and two draws and realistically speaking nothing can be expected from them here in this clash.

Their predicament away from home has been severe, as they have shown close to nothing with their away matches, failing to pick up the gauntlet, going winless in eight games while failing to score in six of them.

Os Açoreanos have gone from being kicked out of the Taca da Liga and Taca de Portugal competitions to facing relegation this season, as they presently sit in 18th place with 15 points and are 10 points away from safety.

Probable Starting XI

Formation: 4-2-3-1

Batista; Sagna, Nogueira, Firmino, Fagundes; Costinha, Boateng; Allano, Misao, Andrezinho; Babi

Match Facts

• FC Porto has won nine straight home games against CD Santa Clara.
• CD Santa Clara has lost their previous eight Primeira Liga road games.
• CD Santa Clara has lost eight consecutive matches in the Primeira Liga.
• When playing at home, FC Porto averages 2.77 goals per game, while CD Santa Clara averages 0.31 goals per game when playing away.

Head-To-Head

FC Porto has won 13 of the last 15 meetings, Santa Clara has won once, and there has been one tie, with a goal difference of 31-7 in favor of FC Porto.

Expert Betting Tips

FC Porto's road win over Benfica in the O Classico has undoubtedly boosted their confidence, and they will want to keep their title hopes alive as they aim for all three points against Os Açoreanos, who have been struggling for form recently, and Sergio Conceicao may see this as an easy walkthrough to victory for his men. 

CD Santa Clara have been pent up in the relegation zone this season, and to imply they'll provide a challenge to Sergio's side given their terrible away form, which has them on an eight-match losing streak, is a far-fetched statement.

Last time out, FC Porto were held to a 1:1 draw in the reverse fixture, and they'll be hoping that this time around, home field advantage can play a factor in them securing three points. Due to their third-ranked offense in the Primeira Liga and the fact that they have scored 21 goals in their last 8 home games, there's no reason not to expect FC Porto to score an individual total of over 2.5 goals in this matchup. 

• Total 1 - Over 2.5 (Goals) for 1.70
• Correct Score - 4:0 for 7.70
• FC Porto Corners - Over 7.5 for 1.90