Las Palmas vs Rayo Vallecano predictions: Gran Canaria contest should feature goals
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- Las Palmas' two-season stay in LaLiga is in danger of ending
- Vallecano are seeking European qualification for just the second time
- Recommended bet: Both teams to score
Las Palmas can move to within touching distance of LaLiga safety if they beat Rayo Vallecano on Friday night at Estadio de Gran Canaria, but the visitors are also in need of the points in their pursuit of securing European football for next season.
It has been a season of struggle for Las Palmas, who head into the weekend sitting 18th in the standings, three points adrift of safety following back-to-back defeats to Athletic Bilbao and Valencia.
Vallecano were also out of form prior to last weekend's 1-0 win over Getafe, but that result has reignited their continental hopes and they would, temporarily at least, move up to seventh with a victory in Gran Canaria.
Team news
Las Palmas will once again be without Jasper Cillessen (stomach), Kirian Rodriguez (illness) and Fabio Silva (groin), while it remains to be seen whether defender Scott McKenna, who did not feature in the matchday squad for last weekend's defeat to Valencia, will return.
Vallecano will be without suspended midfielder Pathe Ciss for this game after he picked up his 10th yellow card of the season against Getafe last time out, although right-back Andrei Ratiu will return following a similar ban.
Abdul Mumin (knee) and Joni Montiel (ankle) are also hoping to feature after recent injury layoffs.
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The stats
Since the turn of the year, Las Palmas have won just two of their 16 LaLiga matches.
Only bottom of the table Real Valladolid (13) have accumulated fewer home points than the 17 Diego Martinez's side have picked up this season.
Los Amarillos are regular scorers, as their tally of 40 league goals is the highest of any team in the bottom five and four more than Friday's opponents Vallecano.
Vallecano are seeking to qualify for Europe for only the second time in their history and first since the 2000-01 campaign when they made it to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup.
Last weekend's win over Getafe was only Vallecano's second victory across their last 11 LaLiga matches.
The last three meetings between these sides have been won by the away team, including a 3-1 success for Las Palmas at the Estadio de Vallecas in November.
Prediction
Neither Las Palmas or Vallecano are in the best of form which makes calling a winner from Friday's contest difficult, but there should be plenty of goalmouth action at both ends of the pitch.
Las Palmas have outscored nine teams in the Spanish top flight this season and they are usually good for a goal, especially on home soil, as only leaders Barcelona have stopped them scoring across their last 12 games at Estadio de Gran Canaria.
The problem has been conceding at the other end, as Diego Martinez's side have kept only one clean-sheet in 17 matches across all competitions this calendar year.
That will give Vallecano hope of netting in Gran Canaria, as although Inigo Perez' team are not prolific, they have scored in eight of their last 10 away matches in LaLiga, as well as on each of their last four trips to Las Palmas.
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