Both sides enter the Basque derby low on confidence as they are not exactly used to sitting in La Liga bottom half, but this will be an opportunity for one of them to kick-start their campaign.

Athletic have finally started showing some improvement and they are in better mood than the opposition despite trailing two points.

It’s been a while since Athletic Club sat so low in the La Liga standings, although things are not as gloomy as they appear to be.

Even if los Leones occupy 14th position in the standings, they are just four points behind Europa League places, and have plenty of time to improve their league position.

The good news is that Jose Angel Ziganda’s side have been raising their form of late, first holding Real Madrid to a goalless draw and then defeating Zorya Lugansk and Levante in their last two fixtures.

This is probably the reason they have been made 2.25 (5/4) favourites to defeat their arch rivals and continue climbing the league standings.

There have been no fresh injury worries for head coach Ziganda, but Iker Muniain, Benat Etxebarria, Ander Iturraspe and Yeray Alvarez look set to miss out.

Probable starting line-up (4-2-3-1): Kepa – De Marcos, Etxeita, Laporte, Balenzieaga – Mikel Rico, San Jose – Williams, Raul Garcia, Susaeta – Aduriz.

Real Sociedad have so far done better than their bitter rivals, although they are on a major downtrend at the moment.

La Real enjoyed a bright start to the new season, doing well in La Liga and Europa League, but the good run was somewhat short-lived.

Real Sociedad are now on a four-match losing run that began with an embarrassing Copa del Rey defeat to Lleida Esportiu and continued with setbacks against Atletico Madrid, Zenit and Malaga.

The Anoeta outfit now hope to end the barren run with a victory in the Basque derby, but that is easier said than done.

Eusebio Sacristan should be able to count on Diego Llorente, who has recovered from a muscle problem, but Tono and Kevin Rodrigues are out.

Probable starting line-up (4-3-3): Rulli – Odriozola, Llorente, I. Martinez, De La Bella – Prieto, Illarramendi, Zurutuza – Januzaj, Willian Jose, Oyarzabal.