Negredo vows to find form

Sevilla's misfiring striker Alvaro Negredo has promised to repay the support of his coach and teammates by hitting the goal trail in the Primera Liga. Manuel Jimenez's side visit Sporting Gijon today with Negredo struggling to recapture the form which sealed a reported ?15million (Dh81.75m) move from Real Madrid in the summer. Three goals for his new side is scant return for the club's outlay, and the Spanish international, 24, whose goalscoring record to this point in his career has been exemplary, is almost at a loss to explain his dip in form.

"I know what is happening to me is not normal, is inexplicable, but I know it will change," he said. "I need to be calm and both the coach and my teammates are supporting me. I hope this bad run comes to an end because the team need it to." Sevilla have slipped a point behind Valencia in the battle for third place in the Primera Liga after a frustrating run which has seen them miss great opportunities to close in on pacesetters Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Back-to-back draws have seen the Andalusians drop a place to fourth in the table and they are now nine points behind Barca, albeit having played one match less than the Catalans. Sevilla followed the stalemates at home to Malaga and Valladolid with the fillip of a midweek Champions League win over Glasgow Rangers, and Negredo is hoping to use that result as a springboard to better things. "The win against Rangers reassured us, after two league matches in which we had not shown our best football," he continued.

"We must be relaxed, the results will come. The fortune is not on our side right now and hopefully the run will change." * With agencies Sporting Gijon v Sevilla, KO midnight, Aljazeera Sport + 2