Preview

Before the match
 
The Miners are approaching the final game of the year in a good mood: the team of Paulo Fonseca will definitely leave for the winter break as the Premier League top team (42 points, goal difference 37-16. They have also secured their Champions League round of 16 berth by defeating Man City this week (2-1).
 
Bernard enjoys a great run of form after getting himself on the scoresheet 3 times, along with Marlos, who provided 2 assists in the meeting with the Englishmen. The top scorer Facundo Ferreyra, who has amassed 13 goals to date, may well extend his goal-scoring run in the game vs Zorya. There are no suspended players.
 
Interestingly, Shakhtar have not suffered a single away defeat in the current championship: 7 wins and 2 draws.
 
Opponents
 
Last season’s bronze medalists Zorya found the past football autumn to be tough. According to the results of 18 rounds, the Luhansk team occupy the 6th place in the UPL table (24 points, goal difference 29-24) and have been knocked out of the Ukrainian Cup competition after losing to the Orange-and-Blacks. On Thursday, Yurii Vernydub’s men completed their Europa League campaign. After losing to the Spanish Athletic Club (0-2) in the final match, they claimed the third spot in their group.
 
Ruslan Babenko who was sent off in the previous round, will not be able to help Zorya vs the Miners. Also, Yevhen Opanasenko may miss the game due to injury.
 
Head-to-head record
 
In the Ukrainian League, the teams locked horns 33 times: in 29 games Shakhtar proved stronger, with Zorya winning on 4 occasions; the goal difference is 88-20.
 
On Zorya’s pitch, the overwhelming advantage belongs to the Donetsk side: 15 wins and 1 defeat; the goal difference is 47-9.
 
Previous league meeting
 
On September 9, the rivals met in Kharkiv. Early in the game, the visitors managed to open the scoring (Gromov), but before the break Shakhtar equalized thanks to the precision shot by Sergii Kryvtsov. In the second half, Ismaily brought the Donetsk team in front, with Bernard sealing the 3-1 win in the 89th minute.