Zenit — Lokomotiv Moscow : Match Preview and Prediction for November 01,2025

The highlight fixture of the current round takes place on Saturday in Saint Petersburg. Zenit, widely considered the favorite, prepares to host Lokomotiv, the former Premier League leader and a team that remains undefeated this season. Head coach Galaktionov’s side is certainly not looking to surrender any points to the blue-white-sky blues.

Last Sunday, Zenit secured an emotionally charged 2-1 victory over Dynamo Moscow, with Mantuan scoring the decisive goal in the final 20 minutes. Despite a strong run of three consecutive wins since the October international break, the Petersburg team continues to show vulnerabilities in defense. Dynamo, for example, managed to find the net with a relatively low xG of just 0.54. Semak’s squad has been notably fortunate with their finishing efficiency, having converted over five more goals than their expected goals (xG) tally in the RPL (20.70 expected vs. 26 actual goals).

Only Lokomotiv can boast a larger disparity between their xG and actual goals scored, having netted 30 goals from an expected 21.31. The Railwaymen are the only team in the RPL still without a loss, although dropping points against Akron (1-1) resulted in them ceding the top spot to Krasnodar. On the road, the Moscow club has been prolific, scoring 14 goals in seven matches (the best away record in the Premier League) and collecting 13 points, a figure surpassed only by Krasnodar (14) and Baltika (15).

A dynamic battle between Glushenkov and Batrakov is anticipated to shape the flow of the entire match. It’s worth noting that Zenit has not managed to defeat Lokomotiv in their last two seasons (recording two draws and two defeats), and a victory for Zenit by a margin of two or more goals hasn’t occurred in over three years. Considering these factors, we are endorsing Galaktionov’s team with a handicap, as bookmakers appear to have underestimated their potential.