Neom SC, a team backed by the New Future City construction project in Saudi Arabia, are still building their system. In this match, Neom captain Faraj is set to return. Al-Ittihad, however, will be without their suspended Albanian defender Mitaj due to accumulated yellow cards, and forward Diaby is also injured. Al-Ittihad are considering recalling the loaned-out Hawassawi to bolster their squad. Neom SC recently defeated Najma 2-1 but have struggled to cover the Asian handicap in their home matches for the past six months, reflecting a poor image. Al-Ittihad is experiencing a resurgence, currently on a five-game winning streak in the Saudi Pro League, and has kept four consecutive clean sheets. They are also performing well in the AFC Champions League. Despite Al-Ittihad's strong form, the away side is only given a 0.25-0.5 handicap for this match, which is considered insufficient. Given that Al-Ittihad doesn't have players participating in the Africa Cup of Nations, the handicap is surprisingly weak. Therefore, a prediction of Neom SC to avoid defeat is made. Prediction: Neom SC +0.5