Başakşehir Hand Skov Olsen the Keys Against Gaziantep's Lone Striker

Başakşehir and Gaziantep FK have confirmed their starting XIs for Monday's Süper Lig fixture at the Başakşehir Fatih Terim Stadyumu, and the two team sheets set up a clear contrast in how each side wants to occupy the pitch.

The hosts line up in a 4-2-3-1. The shape puts a double pivot in front of the back four and a three-man band beneath a lone centre-forward, with Andreas Skov Olsen the name that stands out in the attacking line. Başakşehir's structure is built to get their most dangerous ball-carrier on the ball between the lines, with the two holders behind him free to screen transitions rather than join the attack.

Gaziantep FK answer with a 4-1-4-1. A single screening midfielder sits in front of the back four, with a flat four across the middle and one striker ahead of them. It is a shape designed to keep the central corridor crowded and force Başakşehir's creators wide, where the hosts' full-backs will have to decide how high they can push without leaving the double pivot exposed.

Skov Olsen's inclusion is the selection that shapes Başakşehir's afternoon. In a 4-2-3-1 he is the player most likely to receive between Gaziantep's midfield line and their back four, and the visitors' single pivot means that space exists by design — one midfielder cannot cover both the central lane and the half-spaces on his own. If Skov Olsen finds those pockets early, Gaziantep's flat four will be dragged narrow and the wide areas will open.

The counter is equally clear. Gaziantep's 4-1-4-1 can collapse into a compact block the moment Başakşehir's holders take a touch, and with only one striker ahead of the ball, the visitors will look to spring forward quickly once they win it back. Başakşehir's double pivot is the insurance policy against exactly that.

Abakar Sylla anchors the Başakşehir defensive line, and his job is made simpler by the two midfielders screening in front of him — the 4-2-3-1 asks the centre-backs to defend the box rather than chase runners into midfield. Arda Kızıldağ and Deian Sorescu are the other names carrying weight in the confirmed XIs, with Drissa Camara also in the frame for the visitors.

Gaziantep's lone striker will be isolated for long stretches. The 4-1-4-1 asks the wide midfielders to break forward in support, which means the visitors' best moments may come from turnovers rather than sustained possession. Against a Başakşehir side set up with two holders, those turnovers will be harder to manufacture in central areas.

The venue adds its own pressure. Başakşehir Fatih Terim Stadyumu has been a ground where the hosts expect to control the ball, and the 4-2-3-1 gives them the structure to do it without overcommitting. Gaziantep's 4-1-4-1 is a deliberate acceptance that they will spend periods without the ball — the question is whether their single striker and the four behind him can make those periods count.

The match turns on one number: how many times Skov Olsen receives between Gaziantep's midfield and defensive lines. Their 4-1-4-1 leaves that zone to a single pivot, and Başakşehir's 4-2-3-1 is built to put their best passer there. If Gaziantep's midfield four can stay connected and deny that entry pass, the visitors can make this a long afternoon for the hosts. If they cannot, Başakşehir's shape will do the rest.

Kick-off at the Fatih Terim Stadyumu will show which side's structure holds.