Real Sociedad vs Athletic Bilbao preview - Derby against Athletic perfect timing for Real

Real Sociedad midfielder Sergio Canales believes Sunday's Basque Derby has come around at a perfect time for David Moyes' underachieving team.

The Scottish manager's side failed to win any of their opening four Primera Division fixtures, losing two in a row before breaking out of their bad run with a convincing 3-0 victory at Granada on Tuesday night.

La Real return to Anoeta just in time to entertain local rivals Athletic Bilbao, who have also only managed to win one of their five fixtures thus far.

Canales told realsociedad.com: "The derby's come at the right time for us - although in a way, the circumstances of both teams don't come into play in the derby. It's a very different game.

"You need to be fully focused and have a high level of intensity to your game - that's vital in these kinds of games. We'll be at home with our people behind us and we hope to take another three important points... all of us want to win this derby.

"We've always given a good account of ourselves in important games at home. We always rise to the occasion and will go out to win.

"Sunday's game will be no different in that sense - we'll be going all out to get them from the first minute. Our objective is to take all three points, that's the only way we are looking at this game."

Athletic's last outing saw them edged out 2-1 at home by new Liga leaders Real Madrid, and boss Ernesto Valverde hopes improving performances start translating into points as soon as possible.

"We have a plan and we are applying it well during games," he told marca.com. "We are optimistic but we are also realistic and see that we are still down in the doldrums."