Spartak Moscow vs Lokomotiv Moscow prediction

Spartak stumbled once again, and it seems like the resilience of Dejan Stanković is now wearing thin. There's a lot of chatter about possibly replacing the Serb during the winter break, though they still have to make it there first. Recently, the Moscow side fell 1-2 to Krasnodar, pulling a consolation goal back late in the game thanks to Lavija Garcia coming off the bench. Despite the effort, the loss was a fair result as Spartak clearly lagged behind the champions. The leaders of the Russian Premier League are steadily pulling away, which likely has the management considering their options. We'll see how the team responds in the cup match against Lokomotiv in the two-legged showdown. However, the home leg against the "railroaders" is an opportunity to hit the reset button. Barring Babic, everyone is available for selection, but Srđan's torn ligaments have thrown off the balance and cohesion at the back, which looks shaky even with Vu, Djikia, Litvinov, and the young Guziev.

Lokomotiv finally lost their unbeaten status at the close of the first half of the championship. Batrakov and his men were outplayed by Zenit in Saint Petersburg, resulting in a deserved 0-2 defeat. There's a chance to bounce back in the cup derby against Spartak, especially since Galaktionov has no issues with squad depth. The team plays vibrant, attacking football, although their defense can be less than reliable. The derby tension will add extra spice to this cup clash at Lukoil Arena. Lokomotiv will face the 'red and whites' with a full squad, with Montes returning after suspension for accumulated cards.