There’s a massive game at the top of the Swedish Allsvenskan table on Sunday afternoon as leaders Mjallby hosts third-placed AIK.
It’s been a terrific start to the campaign for Mjallby, as they currently sit top of the Swedish Allsvenskan table just past the halfway mark, four points clear of second-placed Hammarby.
After beginning the campaign with back-to-back draws, Anders Torstensson’s hosts have gone on to win 11 of their next 14 matches in the Swedish top flight (W11-D2-L1), with their solitary defeat coming in the capital against their visitors in May.
AIK bounced back from more dropped points on the road last time out, as they defeated struggling Degerfors 3-0 at home on an afternoon where our man Gabriel landed a couple of winners.
Whilst that result maintained their unbeaten home record in the Allsvenskan this season, Mikkjal Thomassen’s men have struggled on the road in recent months, winning just one of their past six (W1-D3-L2), including back-to-back defeats at Halmstad (2-0) and Sirius (3-1).
How the bookies view it: Leaders favourites
Mjallby come into this clash as favourites to claim all three points, with BoyleSports pricing them at 10/11.
The same firm has visitors AIK 13/5 to move just two points behind their hosts, whilst a draw is 12/5.
Head to head: History with the visitors
As already mentioned, AIK inflicted Mjallby’s only defeat in the Allsvenskan this season, beating them 2-1 in the capital at the start of May.
That stretched the 12-time Allsvenskan champions' unbeaten record to 11 matches against Mjallby, with the hosts' last success against AIK coming in a 3-1 win in August 2020.
Players to watch: Stroud to strike again?
Elliot Stroud has been in fine form for Mjallby in the last couple of months, scoring four goals in his previous eight appearances in the Swedish top flight, including in each of his past two. The Swedish midfielder also scored in the reverse fixture in May, and is an appealing 15/4 at Bet365 to score for the third consecutive match.
Johan Hove is AIK’s leading scorer in the Allsvenskan this campaign, scoring on six occasions. The Norwegian has scored three in his last five league appearances, and is 4/1 at Bet365 to net here.
Predicted line-ups:
Leaders Mjallby will be without Olle Nilsson Lov, Silas Nwankwo, Mans Isaksson, Olle Lindberg, Tim Malmstrom and Tony Miettinen.
AIK will be unable to call upon Martin Ellingsen, Eskil Edh, Andreas Redkin, Victor Andersson and Alexander Fesshaie, whilst ex-Celtic forward, John Guidetti, will be expected to make an appearance off the bench.
Mjallby: Tornqvist, Rask, Iqbal, Pettersson, Stavitski, Charles, Gustavsson, Stroud, Gustafson, Thorell, Bergstrom
AIK: Nordfeldt, Thychosen, Benkovic, Papagiannopoulos, Isherwood, Hove, Geiger, Saletros, Ayari, Kakoullis
Anything else catch the eye?
As alluded to, Mjallby have a terrible recent record against AIK in recent seasons, failing to win any of their last 11 meetings with the Stockholm club, including losing the reverse fixture 2-1 in May.
However, Anders Torstensson’s side have won 11 of their last 14 Allsvenskan fixtures (W11-D2-L1) – including five of their past six at home (W5-D1-L0) – and are 10/11 at BoyleSports to defeat an AIK side that has won just one of their previous six away matches (W1-D3-L2), losing each of the last two.
Despite their position at the top of the table, Both Teams to Score has landed in 11/16 (69%) of Mjallby’s Allsvenskan encounters this term – including in the reverse fixture in May – and a repeat pays 5/6 at BoyleSports.
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