MOSCOW, November 1 (RIA Novosti) - Guus Hiddink’s Anzhi face a tough fixture in the Russian league this weekend ahead of their high-profile Europa League home tie with Liverpool next week.
A win in Sunday’s home game against Caucasus rivals Terek could propel second-placed Anzhi back to the top of the Russian Premier League standings, while defeat would likely leave Hiddink’s men in a scrap with the closing pack.
Both teams came through tough Russian Cup matches in midweek, with Anzhi beating Krylya Sovetov 2-1 and Terek seeing off Lokomotiv Moscow 3-1 in extra time, but Hiddink’s men will be fresher after the Dutch coach elected to rest more players.
The first-choice strike partnership of Samuel Eto’o and Lacina Traore was left out of the Krylya game, as were goalkeeper Vladimir Gabulov and center-back Christopher Samba, although creative dynamo Mbark Boussoufa played.
Midfielder Jucilei returned from an injury that left him out of Anzhi’s 1-0 defeat at Anfield last week, while Lassana Diarra is still a long-term absentee, as is Terek playmaker Maciej Rybus.
New signing Ailton scored two of Terek’s goals, but the strains of playing 120 minutes may come at the cost of fitness Sunday. Terek are fourth in the league.
Leaders CSKA are in action against Slaven Bilic’s eighth-placed Lokomotiv on Sunday, with attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev able to return to league action for CSKA after the Russian FA cut short his ban for violent conduct.
First-choice striker Seydou Doumbia’s absence with injury has not stopped CSKA taking top spot with nine wins in their last 10 league games, while Bilic’s largely injury-free team have not won for a month.
CSKA defender Mario Fernandes broke his nose during a 3-0 cup win over regional league outfit FC Tyumen on Wednesday and has traveled to Barcelona to get a protective mask fitted, while Dzagoev hurt his shin, although a CSKA doctor suggested to R-Sport that both would likely be fit to play.
The first match of the weekend Friday pits reigning champions Zenit St. Petersburg, in third, against FC Rostov, with Zenit set to welcome back two notable absentees.
Midfielder Igor Denisov returned to first-team training Thursday after six weeks in exile with the reserves following an argument with management over pay, while Portugal midfielder Danny Miguel may make his first appearance since a cruciate ligament injury sidelined him in February.
There have been several false dawns over Danny’s health in recent months, but coach Luciano Spalletti pledged to pick both him and Denisov in the squad for the game against Rostov, who are 13th in the 16-team league.
Elsewhere, Saturday sees fifth-placed Spartak Moscow travel to 12th-placed Krylya in hope of bouncing back from a midweek cup exit to Rostov, while ninth-placed Amkar Perm host sixth-placed FC Kuban and Rubin Kazan, in seventh, travel to Mordovia Saransk, in 15th and in the relegation zone.
Tenth-placed FC Krasnodar host Dynamo Moscow, in 11th, on Sunday, while Monday’s last game of the round is a relegation scrap between 14th-placed Alania Vladikavkaz and 14th-placed FC Volga.
