**Brann rolls in as heavy favorites, but Start at home can still bite** — the visitors are simply in better form and have owned this fixture lately. 🔥

Start's mixed 2W-3L run gives them little momentum, especially with key defenders sidelined. Brann, meanwhile, sitting on 2W-2D-1L, have the edge in consistency and a **7-5 lead in the last 17 head-to-heads**.

Key storylines:

- **SK Brann's defensive depth** will be tested; missing five players is no joke, but the backline of Soltvedt, Pallesen Knudsen, Dragsnes and Pedersen should hold firm against a patchy Start attack
- **IK Start's home desperation** — they've lost the last two at Sparebanken Sør Arena and need a morale lift with Ujkani and Schulze tasked to spark things up front
- **Midfield battle** shapes the afternoon; Brann's Jensen Wassberg and Eriksen control possession, Start's Reitan and Segberg chase shadows

Expected lineups:

- **IK Start**: Manojlović, Husebø, Ujkani, Jebali, Toure, Reitan, Segberg, Mvoué, Schulze, Cornelius, Lorentzen
- **SK Brann**: Dyngeland, Soltvedt, Pallesen Knudsen, Dragsnes, Pedersen, Jensen Wassberg, Sørensen, Eriksen, Castro, Mani Ingason, Finne

Prediction: **1-2 SK Brann**. Visitors edge a scrappy one on the road.