Preview

Before the match
 
Shakhtar and Veres will meet for the second time this week. On Wednesday, the Donetsk team defeated Veres in the Ukrainian Cup (4-0), but this result should not lead the Miners into delusion – Yurii Virt gave rest to a number of players staking on Saturday's championship match.

The personnel situation remains the same for the Orange-and-Blacks: Taison is missing due to injury, with Serhii Kryvtsov and Maksym Malyshev continuing to recover.
 
We want to add that Shakhtar will play their 50th league game with Paulo Fonseca at the helm (37 wins, 8 draws and 4 losses, 101-40).
 
Opponents
 
The top-flight newcomers Veres accumulate points and sit in the third spot in the table. The Rivne team drew more often than others (10 times), conceding more than one goal just on one occasion – at the hands of Shakhtar in August, at the same time scoring the opener.
 
In the previous round, Yurii Virt’s men interrupted their run of 7 draws with the success vs Chornomorets (3-1). We want to note that along with the Rivne team, Olimpik and Vorskla also have 25 points each.
 
As for the possible line-up, Bandura, Borzenko, Ishchenko, Yevhen Pasich and Serhiichuk not participating in the cup tie, while Kobin, Morozenko and Stepanyuk appearing in the second half. Due to illness, Voloshynovich did not get on the team list for the game. With the exception of the latter, all the above players have a great chance of appearing in the starting line-up. Veres have no suspended players.
 
Head-to-head record
 
The rivals had seven meetings: 5 wins for Shakhtar, 1 draw and 1 win by Veres. The goal difference is 13-5.
 
The Donetsk team proved stronger at home twice and drawing once with the aggregate goal difference of 6-1.
 
Previous league meeting
 
On August 27, Veres received Shakhtar in Lviv taking the lead early through a goal by Valerii Fedorchuk. Immediately after the break, Taison appeared to replace him. In the 55th minute, he fed Marlos from the edge of the box for the latter to produce an accurate shot – 1-1. It was very difficult to break down the Rivne side’s defence, but Blanco Leschuk and Dentinho joined in the action in the remaining time, and the Brazilian brought the Miners a win, successfully picking the ball and firing it home in the 88th minute.