Sporting Lisbon is still searching for their peak performance in the new Primeira Liga season as they host winless Alverca at Estadio Jose Alvalade this Saturday. Currently, the Lions have garnered four points from their first two matches, placing them sixth in the league standings. In contrast, Alverca has only managed to secure one point from their two games, leaving them in 13th position. A concerning trend has emerged for Rui Borges's team early in the season, as Sporting has established significant leads in both of their matches but has struggled to maintain them. In their opener against Estrela Amadora, they were ahead 2-0 but ended up drawing after conceding two late goals. This pattern continued in their recent encounter with Vitoria de Guimaraes, where Sporting initially led 3-0, only to see their opponents score twice in quick succession, forcing them to cling to a narrow 3-2 victory. Such a shaky start raises concerns for the Lions, who are eager to move past last season's disappointments after finishing without silverware and six points behind Porto in second place. However, Sporting's history against Alverca should bolster their confidence, as they have triumphed in their last five league encounters, with four of those wins coming by two or more goals. This includes last season's victories of 2-0 at home and 4-1 away. On the other hand, Alverca arrives at Alvalade having shown resilience but lacking rewards. They began the season with a loss to defending champions Porto, followed by a spirited draw against Estrela Amadora. In that match, Sergio Ferreira's squad initially fell behind to a goal from Leandro Antonetti but rallied to lead 2-1 with strikes from Ian Luccas and Vivaldo Semedo. Unfortunately, they conceded an equalizer in the 69th minute, and a red card for Chiquinho shortly after dashed any hopes of a late comeback.