Defending champion Guangzhou Evergrande is on pins and needles, just one point ahead of second-place Jiangsu Sainty after 20 rounds.

Evergrande dominated the Chinese Super League last season, finishing 15 points ahead of runner-up Beijing Guo'an.

The high-class lineup led by Italian coach Marcello Lippi was almost caught by Sainty's bargain-basement outfit over the weekend.