Ajax vs Feyenoord Headline the Weekend Fixtures in the Eredivisie
The Eredivisie is back in action as all 18 teams battle for vital points at this early stage of the season.
In what could be a crucial week for title challengers, European dreamers, and relegation battlers, the eight teams with a game in hand will play those matches on Wednesday following these fixtures.
There is a match between two of the big three in the Netherlands to look forward to and several key fixtures for teams to navigate.
Friday’s Fixture:
Go Ahead Eagles vs Fortuna Sittard
The only Friday fixture and the first match of this weekend sees the unbeaten Fortuna Sittard travel to Go Ahead Eagles.
After losing their first match against AZ, Go Ahead Eagles have been in blistering form, defeating Ajax away and sit comfortably in seventh place.
Their captain and left-back Bas Kuipers has been in good form and Philippe Rommens has three goals so far in the league.
Fortuna Sittard have claimed some impressive draws against Feyenoord and Ajax so far and will look to kick on from their low position last season but will need to keep scoring to do so.
Alex’s Prediction: Go Ahead Eagles 1-0 Fortuna Sittard
Saturday’s Fixtures
FC Volendam vs Heracles, NEC vs Utrecht, Almere vs PSV and Heerenveen vs Excelsior
PSV are in action on Saturday as one of three teams with perfect records so far in the Eredivisie with four wins out of four and just one goal conceded.
They take on Almere, first-time debutants in the topflight, who sit in the relegation zone on one point.
It looks like a tall ask for Almere, as PSV boast former Barcelona and Newcastle United striker Luuk de Jong who sits on four goals so far, and the Dutch league’s top assist maker Joey Veerman.
PSV were humbled against Arsenal earlier this week in the Champions League, but only the bravest of people will root against them on Saturday.
Across Saturday’s other fixtures, bottom club FC Volendam, escaping relegation last season, host Eerste Divisie champions Heracles after their good start, two wins and two losses an impressive return for the new club.
NEC and Utrecht play one another, both are perilously close to the dreaded relegation zone and will look to pick up some early form, and Heerenveen and Excelsior will match up with both sitting on six points and in the bottom half of the table respectively.
Alex’s Predictions: FC Volendam 0-0 Heracles, NEC 1-1 Utrecht, Almere 0-4 PSV, and Heerenveen 2-0 Excelsior.
Sunday’s Fixtures
Sparta Rotterdam vs Vitesse, Ajax vs Feyenoord, PEC Zwolle vs AZ and RKC Waalwijk vs FC Twente
Sunday is headlined by a monster clash between the two most successful Dutch clubs in history, and two clubs in very contrasting form so far.
Ajax have struggled this season after losing a number of key players such as Mohammed Kudus to West Ham, Jurrien Timber to Arsenal and Dusan Tadic on a free transfer to Fenerbahce and they sit in 12th place, recently drawing their Europa League match against Marseille 3-3.
Since Erik Ten Hag left the club, Ajax have been a shadow of the side they once were, so it is Feyenoord who will want to make the most of this situation.
Meanwhile reigning champions Feyenoord will be buoyed by their recent 2-0 win over Celtic and will feel confident with the Eredivisie’s joint top goal scorer Santiago Gimenez and joint top assist maker in Calvin Stengs leading the charge.
They will want to continue their three-match winning streak to keep up pressure on the teams leading the league at this moment in time.
AZ and FC Twente both are away to PEC and RKC respectively, and both away sides have perfect records going into their games.
Two-time champions AZ suffered a disappointing defeat in the Europa Conference League, collapsing in the second half of their match conceding four goals, and PEC have had a decent start to the season in their eighth position.
It is worth noting that AZ’s Greek forward Vangelis Pavlidis is the joint top goal scorer in the Eredivisie with six goals, just above Gimenez on minutes per goal.
RKC sit in the relegation play-off spot and will feel afraid of the quality within Twente’s squad.
In the other fixture, Sparta Rotterdam host Vitesse in a bid to seal a mid-table finish come the end of the season.
Alex’s Predictions: Sparta Rotterdam 2-1 Vitesse, Ajax 1-3 Feyenoord, PEC Zwolle 0-3 AZ and RKC Waalwijk 0-2 FC Twente
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