Al-Hilal and Al-Shabab clash in Riyadh Derby as Al-Ittihad threaten to disappear over the horizon

It is second against fourth in the Saudi Professional League on Thursday but the game between Al-Shabab and Al-Hilal is bigger than that and not just because it is a Riyadh derby.

Both teams need to win if they are to keep title hopes alive and victory would be especially sweet for Al-Shabab, for many reasons.

Much has been said about Al-Hilal, who return to league action after a gap of almost four weeks. In that time they have been at the FIFA Club World Cup, with experiences both very good and very bad, dismissed coach Leonardo Jardim, appointed Ramon Diaz and have fallen 16 points behind leaders Al-Ittihad.

All the spotlight on their Riyadh rivals is probably going to please Al-Shabab. The 2012 champions have been moving under the radar to an extent and it has been almost unnoticed, and certainly underreported, that the team have gone 17 games unbeaten. That run has taken last season’s runners-up back into second place with the only problem being that Al-Ittihad have won their last ten and are seven points clear having played a game fewer.

There was a slight hiccup in January as the team drew three games in succession and after dropping those six points, Al-Shabab lost the league’s then top scorer Odion Ighalo to Al-Hilal. Plenty of teams around the world would miss the Nigerian striker, who arrived in Riyadh last year straight from Manchester United, though since his departure the six-time champions have won both games 2-1 against Al-Hazm and Damac, helped by a goal in each game from Luciano Vietto who arrived from Al-Hilal. It would not be a surprise if the Argentine made the difference, especially as he already seems to be working well with his talented compatriot Ever Banega. If Al-Shabab can cut the supply