Gil Vicente vs Sporting Lisbon Predictions

• Sporting have won six of their last seven away league matches
• Gil Vicente have lost three games in a row
• Paulinho has scored four goals in his last four appearances

Champions-elect can continue winning

Sporting Club are locked in on their goal of regaining the Portuguese title and should not slip up at struggling Gil Vicente on Friday night.

While speculation over the future of coach Ruben Amorim rages on in the English media, the Lions continue to plot their way to a second Primeira Liga success of his four-year reign.

Last weekend’s 2-1 home derby win over Benfica opened up a four-point gap in their favour at the top and they also have a game in hand. And with no European action to distract them in the build-up to this trip to Barcelos, Sporting should secure all three points with relative ease.

Israel the key to another away clean sheet

Gil Vicente are winless in six with three draws followed by three defeats since the end of February. That run began when they denied Porto victory at their place with a stoppage-time leveller, but their early-season loss to Benfica offers a better comparison to this clash.

The Roosters woke up after falling 2-0 behind in that game, but eventually lost 3-2. Sporting have been a match for Benfica’s goal power away from home this term and could run up two or three goals here – as they have done in each of their last four away league contests, two of which were against much better sides than Gil Vicente.

The question of whether they keep a clean sheet will come down to how well Franco Israel, Sporting’s in-form goalkeeper, plays. He has kept three clean sheets in Sporting’s last six away trips and Gil Vicente have not scored in two of their last four at home.