The Roshn Saudi League wheels back into action on Friday, and includes the record Saudi champions travelling to one of the table’s in-form sides, while the current title-holders journey to Riyadh in a standout fixture looking to reverse their fortunes.

Al Tai v Al Fayha

Key stat:

Al Tai have only won one of their past five matches, losing the other four, while Al Fayha have lost only one of their past five, collecting eight points from said matches.

Players to watch: 

Bernard Mensah – Al Tai: The Ghanaian forward has four goals to his name this season. Not only is he Al Tai’s top scorer, he is also the only player in the team to have scored in more than one game this term.

Fashion Sakala – Al Fayha: The former Rangers striker has been on hot form since his move to Al Majma’ah, bagging five goals in 11 RSL appearances, including four of their last nine goals.

Did you know? 

These two teams have faced each other twice in the RSL, exchanging 2-1 wins last season, which was Al Tai’s first appearance in the top-flight. In their most recent game in Hail, Al Tai captain Alfa Semedo scored in both nets, inadvertently sending the ball into his own goal for Al Fayha to equalise, before settling the tie with a 38th-minute winner.

Al Fateh v Al Hilal

Key stat:

Both teams have won six of their last seven matches in the league. They both dropped points in matchweek 7 when Al Hilal drew with Damac 1-1 and Al Fateh lost to Al Ittihad 2-1.

Players to watch: 

Mourad Batna – Al Fateh: The Moroccan winger has contributed to at least one goal in his past eight games in the RSL. In total, he has 13 goal involvements this term (seven goals and six assists). Only Cristiano Ronaldo (17) has more.

Yassine Bounou – Al Hilal: The veteran goalkeeper has conceded just six goals in RSL this season, the least for any goalkeeper with three appearances or more. He kept two clean sheets in his past three matches and boasts the second-highest save percentage in the RSL (76.9%).

Did you know? 

Al Fateh have only ever finished higher than Al Hilal once, in the 2012-13 season when they won the RSL for the only time in their history. That season, Al Hilal finished second, eight points behind their upcoming opponents.

Al Shabab v Al Ittihad

Key stat:

Al Shabab have won only two of their past ten matches against Al Ittihad, with the Tigers winning five. Three encounters ended in draws. The last match between the two teams saw four penalties awarded, with Abderrazak Hamdallah scoring two for Al Ittihad, while Cristian Guanca scored one and Aaron Boupendza missed one for Al Shabab as the Jeddah side emerged 2-1 winners.

Players to watch: 

Ever Banega – Al Shabab: No player has completed more passes in the opposition half than the Al Shabab captain. The Argentine has 524 successful passes in the opponent’s half, with an 82.8% pass completion rate.

Karim Benzema – Al Ittihad: After scoring just once in his first four RSL matches, the former Ballon d’Or winner found his shooting boots, bagging four goals in his past five matches for the Jeddah club.

Did you know?

 Fahad Al Muwallad scored two goals in his first eight matches with Al Shabab this season, despite starting only two of them. He had scored 57 RSL goals during a 10-year career with Al Ittihad, before moving to the Riyadh-based club last season.