Al Ittihad have found their stride at exactly the right moment, stringing together consecutive league wins that have renewed belief in their title credentials. A 4-1 demolition of Al Ittifaq was followed by a 2-0 home victory over Al Diriyah, with George Ilenikhena and Georginio Wijnaldum on the scoresheet in the latter. The run has lifted Jens Weissfeller's side to fourth in the Saudi Pro League, three points behind third-placed Al Qadsiah, with a game in hand over some rivals. After a difficult start to the season that saw some write them off, the back-to-back wins have silenced early doubters.

Off the pitch, a public row with former coach Sergio Conceicao has added noise around the club. The Portuguese, sacked at the end of last season, made pointed remarks about Saudi players and his time at the club, prompting a sharp response from Al Ittihad midfielder Saad Al Mousa, who called his conduct unethical and said Conceicao lacked the courage to address the real reasons for his failure.

On a brighter note, striker Youssef En-Nesyri is attracting attention from Morocco coach Mohamed Wahbi ahead of the November international window, with reports suggesting a potential recall to the national squad. En-Nesyri has scored in four of his last five league appearances. Next up for Al Ittihad is an AFC Champions League Elite away trip to Neftchi Fargona on October 26, offering a chance to build further momentum across two competitions.