FC Tokyo v Niigata

FC Tokyo vs Albirex Niigata Preview

FC Tokyo were dealt a second defeat on the trot in the Japanese top flight last weekend when they went down to a 3-2 loss away from home at Kashiwa Reysol which resulted in the hosts dropping down the J-League table to eighth place, while Albirex Niigata also tasted defeat as they suffered a 4-3 loss at home to Sagan Tosu in a high-scoring game at their Denka Big Swan Stadium.

FC Tokyo had previously put together a promising looking four-game unbeaten sequence in the J-League which included victories over the likes of Sagan Tosu, Shonan Bellmare and Consadole Sapporo, all of which were by 1-0 margins, but a 1-0 loss at home to Avispa Fukuoka means the hosts have now lost their last two games on the trot.

Two of these three wins were also registered on their travels while only one was achieved on home soil, and the bigger picture shows Peter Cklamovski's side have managed to pick up just these three wins out of their last 10 matches overall.

Four defeats within these last 10 games suggests this upcoming encounter with Albirex Niigata will be far from straightforward for FC Tokyo who have captured just four home wins in their last 14 games at the Denka Big Swan Stadium.

Albirex Niigata's promising five-match unbeaten sequence in the domestic top flight was brought to a sudden halt last weekend as they lost out in a high-scoring 4-3 defeat at home to Sagan Tosu but nevertheless, the visitors may just fancy their chances of gaining a result against a wobbling FC Tokyo outfit this Saturday.

Albirex Niigata had previously registered wins against Machida Zelvia and Consadole Sapporo, both of which were achieved away from home while also adding to their points tally with points gained from draws with Kashima Antlers, Kawasaki Frontale and Sanfrecce Hiroshima.

The bigger picture shows Albirex Niigata have managed to capture just four wins within their previous 19 league matches overall which suggests the visitors may also struggle in this upcoming encounter, but it is worth noting that three of these four wins have been collected on their outings and includes a 1-0 victory at Kyoto Sanga earlier in the season.

In addition, Albirex Niigata have produced some solid and stubborn performances away from home in the J-League as Rikizo Matsuhashi's side have been dealt just four defeats in their last 15 games on the road.

FC Tokyo v Albirex Niigata Verdict

Both FC Tokyo and Albirex Niigata have not exactly set the world alight in recent weeks but Albirex Niigata's stubborn form on their travels may just see the visitors produce a narrow 1-0 win here.

Therefore, our main bet will be Albirex Niigata @ 2.90

Other side bets worth considering:

Albirex Niigata win & Under 2.5 goals @ 6.00

Correct Score: Albirex Niigata 1-0 @ 9.50