Sao Paulo tipped to continue revival.............

It was always hard to believe that Sao Paulo were quite as bad as they have shown us this season, ahead of a trip to Flamengo last month I spoke about their dire form and how it mirrored last year's start ..........

Sao Paulo have taken just two points from five starts and two of just three wins for them this season have come against bottom 3 teams, they have gone backwards over the last couple of seasons, only won 7 of their first 23 starts in 2016 and look in similarly poor shape this time round, with few attempts on target and even riding their luck for one or two of the (relatively) few points they have collected. They are coming off a 1-1 home draw with Fluminense where the visitors, hit the woodwork and had twice as many attempts on target. Two teams moving in opposite directions and with very different targets for the season.

They took just one point from their next four starts and conceded at least twice in each, before stopping the rot with a 1-0 win over Vasco da Gama, very respectable 1-1 draw with Gremio and, at the weekend, a come from behind 4-3 win at Botafogo where they never really deserved to trail, they had 65% possession, 13 attempts inside the box (3 for the host) and completed twice as many passes with 87% accuracy, posting some really good numbers, especially as a visitor against a top 7 opponent. New signings Hernanes and Marcos Guilherme both played and the former was incredibly motivated on his return to his first professional club and the former Lazio, Inter and Juventus player (pictured) could hardly have impressed more. He was a constant threat and there will be a lot of interest in his home debut and the club after the big road win and the mood at SP has totally changed in the last 10 days. Marco Guilherme was no less impressive with two goals from off the bench.

Coritiba are in freefall and they have taken just 4 points from 11 starts, after collecting 13 from their opening six ! They have lost 7/9 and arrive here without a handful of probable starters including suspended centre back Luizao, left back William Matheus (big loss) and forwards Henrique Almeida and Kleber ( 9 goals and two assists between that pair). I still do not fully trust SP to keep a cleansheet and think that Coritiba will score , 3-1 will be my call.

1.5 units Sao Paulo -1.25 goals 2.16 asian line/Sportmarket.

1.25 units "over" 2.75 goals 2.34 asian line/Sportmarket.