CSL Preview: Evergrande, Shandong Luneng set their sights

Guangzhou Evergrande will be looking to embark on another long winning run in the Chinese Super League when they travel to Wuhan Zall.

The undefeated league leaders – who dropped points for only the second time this season when drawing 0-0 with second-placed Shandong Luneng earlier this month – face the struggling hosts at the Wuhan Sports Center Stadium on Monday and will be looking to increase their nine-point advantage at the top of the table.

Brazilian Elkeson scored his 16th league goal of a productive season so far in their 1-0 success over Shanghai SIPG on Tuesday, and the forward will be confident of adding to that tally against 15th-placed Wuhan.

Shandong Luneng will have the opportunity to temporarily close the gap to six points when they host Guizhou Renhe at the Luneng Big Stadium on Sunday.

They will be looking to arrest back-to-back league defeats in order to stay in the race for the title.

But they will face a difficult task in beating third-placed Guizhou. They are currently on a four-game unbeaten run, although three of those matches were draws.

Elsewhere on Sunday, bottom club Tianjin Teda will be looking for a much-needed three points as they welcome Shanghai Shenxin to the Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium.

They suffered a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Sven-Goran Eriksson’s Guangzhou R&F on Wednesday, and sit three points adrift of safety.

Guangzhou R&F will travel to Shanghai Shenhua, with the latter looking nervously over their shoulder at the bottom spots following defeat to fellow struggers Changchun Yatai on Wednesday.

Changchun will look to build on their 1-0 win over Shenhua as they travel to the Shenyang Tiexi Stadium to face Liaoning Whowin.

That success saw them climb out of the relegation zone, and they will look to put more distance between themselves and the bottom two clubs.

Elsewhere on Sunday, Hangzhou face Dalian Aerbin at the Yellow Dragon Sports Center, while on Saturday Beijing Guoan travel to face Qingdao Jonoon, and Shanghai SIPG host Jiangsu Sainty at the Shanghai Stadium.