Al Hilal v Al Ahli: Ollie Watkins faces Ivan Toney, no Karim Benzema and an early SPL title showdown

Al Hilal will face off against Al Ahli in the Saudi Pro League on Tuesday night, marking a significant encounter between England strikers Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney. The 30-year-old Watkins has completed a £50 million move from Aston Villa to Al Hilal, joining a club that has captured four Asian Champions League titles and is currently the continental giants. Watkins expressed his pride in joining Al Hilal and has pledged his allegiance to the club through social media channels.

The clash between the two strikers adds intrigue to the match, as they once competed to be Al Ahli's understudy for England's Harry Kane. Toney, who scored 59 goals in 65 games since his transfer from Brentford, has been a double Asian champion for the Saudi club. The fixture sees Watkins enter Saudi Pro League action as an instant Al Hilal hero, providing a boost to the team's attacking arsenal.

Meanwhile, Al Ahli has undergone significant changes this summer. They parted ways with their two-time Asian champion coach Matthias Jaissle and appointed Marino Pusic, the Dutch-Bosnian former coach of UAE side Al Jazira. Pusic had to adjust to the team's lineup adjustments, including the departures of Franck Kessie and Riyad Mahrez, and the arrivals of Gabriel Martinelli and Crysencio Summerville have added new dimensions to the attacking trident.

Al Ahli's situation has been marred by setbacks, including a 3-1 defeat at Al Kholood on Saturday. As this match approaches, it remains to be seen whether Al Ahli can overcome early challenges and secure a positive outcome in their inaugural SPL title showdown against Al Hilal.