- Shenhua have won three and drawn two of their last five games (W3, D2, L0), including a 2 - 0 AFC Champions League win against FC Seoul.
- Shenzhen suffered a string of losses before winning two straight games in October.
- Shenzhen beat Shenhua 3-1 in the league meeting in June, but the hosts have won one and drawn two of the previous four head-to-head meetings.
Shenhua can outscore Shenzhen to take all three points
The Shanghai Shenhua vs Shenzhen Peng FC prediction suggests that Shanghai Shenhua are favored to outscore their opponents and claim the three points when they host Shenzhen Peng City in the Super League on Friday. Shenhua’s current third-placed position in the table with 58 points from 28 matches is still good enough to keep them in the title race while Shenzhen are locked in a tense relegation battle, sitting 12th on 26 points.
Shenhua have been solid in the AFC Champions League and CSL since Leonid Slutskiy arrived as coach and his trademark high-intensity approach to the game has kept them in the title hunt. Slutskiy’s men are a high-tempo team who like to press hard when out of possession and play at pace on the break.
Sitting deep and staying compact in a low block is a Shenzhen trademark under interim boss Chen Tao, who has steadied the ship a little with back-to-back wins in October following a string of losses. The visitors will do plenty of defending in this game and their only real hope according to this Shanghai Shenhua vs Shenzhen Peng FC prediction is if they can nick a counter or make something happen from set-piece situations.
Shenhua’s superiority should tell
Shenhua are 1.14 favourites to win this match with Shenzhen much longer and the draw at 7.0. The odds are heavily stacked in the home team’s favor, which is no surprise when you consider the relative positions in the CSL table, but the Shanghai Shenhua vs Shenzhen Peng FC betting tips indicate that the bookies may have missed a trick by not giving more value to Shenhua to snatch a draw from this one.
Shenhua have the more talent and firepower, home advantage and could get the win they need to stay in contention for the CSL title because Shenzhen are likely to be without defender Yang Yiming through suspension. Shenhua have scored 13 goals in their last five matches - a form that should see them through against Shenzhen, who are porous at the back. Our Shanghai Shenhua vs Shenzhen Peng FC prediction is a home win for Shenhua based on these factors.
Over 2.5 goals looks a lay-down bet
Shenzhen have conceded in each of their last five Super League games, but both their October wins have been by one-goal margins and they could easily have lost the 2-1 away win over Wuhan Three Towns when they were reduced to ten men in the second half. The Over 2.5 market is 1.33 for this clash and appears a bit of a lock because both teams have been involved in high-scoring matches recently.
Our Shanghai Shenhua vs Shenzhen Peng FC preview notes that Shenhua have the players to create enough chances to beat Shenzhen at home and may well do so with some room to spare, but given the guests’ improved recent attacking output and the fact they will be desperate for the points, we are going to boost the main selection odds by adding BTTS into the equation.
Midfielders Tianyi Gao and João Carlos Teixeira are the chief creative forces for Shenhua, with Gao leading the team in assists and Teixeira driving the creativity. André Luís is the man in front of goal for the Shanghai club, scoring regularly and taking crucial penalties, like his late equaliser against Dalian Yingbo.
Saulo Mineiro is another source of firepower and can link the play with his mazy runs and clever off-the-ball movements. Wesley is Shenzhen’s main man up front, spearheading their counter attacks since the mid-season change of coach. Rade Dugalić, Shenzhen’s captain and defensive lynchpin, can also be a threat from dead ball situations, having scored in the last meeting between these clubs in a 3-1 win in June.
The Shanghai Shenhua vs Shenzhen Peng FC prediction underlines that Shenhua and Shenzhen are two of the most contrasting teams in the CSL and this should be a typical possession versus counter-attack clash. Shenhua will have more of the ball, but Shenzhen can be dangerous on the counter and will have more joy if they can get men behind the Shenhua defense with their long balls and set pieces.
Based on the Shanghai Shenhua vs Shenzhen Peng FC prediction, expect goals in this fixture and the hosts to have the upper hand.
