Eredivisie Preview: Round 21

Posted Tuesday, February 02, 2010 by Goal.com

The Eredivisie returns for a full midweek match-day and an exciting round 21 awaits.

Stam and N'Kufo, Steaua - FC Twente

Tuesday

NAC - AZ
NEC - Willem II
Groningen - ADO Den Haag
VVV - Heerenveen

Wednesday

Twente - Heracles
PSV - Utrecht
Ajax - Roda
Sparta - Vitesse

Thursday

RKC - Feyenoord

NAC - AZ

The Breda side recorded a comfortable 2-0 home win against VVV last Saturday and currently sit seventh in the table with 29 points from 20 games. Tyrone Loran and Rob Penders are unavailable due to injury, while forward Leonardo is suspended. However, Ghanaian attacker Matthew Amoah has returned from his African Nations Cup obligations and could return to the match squad again. AZ were beaten 1-0 by Groningen on Saturday evening and have dropped to eighth spot in the table following their poor run of form. The reigning champions have collected 28 points so far. Head coach Dick Advocaat will be without Brett Holman due to injury. Kew Jaliens and Hector Moreno return to the match squad though after a one-match ban.

Prediction: 1-1

NEC - Willem II

The Nijmegen outfit struggled against Sparta last weekend, but a late goal from Saidi eventually helped them to a 1-0 win. NEC climbed to fourteenth spot in the table following the win. Wiljan Vloet's men have collected 19 points so far. The NEC gaffer will be without John Goossens and Lasse Schone due to injury. Willem II put in a decent performance against RKC last Friday and recorded a 2-1 win against the Waalwijk outfit. The Tricolores still sit only seventeenth in the table though with 17 points. Mehmet Akgun, Said Boutahar and Frank Demouge are expected to miss out on Tuesday's game due to various reasons. New signing Mitchell Donald could make his official debut though.

Prediction: 2-0

Groningen - ADO Den Haag

Groningen have been in great form after the winter break and defeated AZ 1-0 on Saturday evening courtesy of a Tim Matavz goal. The Green-White army have climbed to ninth spot in the table with 24 points. Head coach Ron Jans will still have be without Sepp de Roover, Petter Andersson, Ondrej Svejdik, Nicklas Pedersen, Tim Sparv and Koen van der Laak due to injury, while Gibril Sankoh is suspended. ADO struggled against Heerenveen last weekend, but two goals in the final 15 minutes helped them to a 2-1 victory. The Residentieclub are the Eredivisie's number sixteen side at the moment with 18 points. Aleksandr Rankovic and Lorenzo Pique are sidelined due to injury. Pascal Bosschaart returns to the match squad though after a suspension.

Prediction: 2-1

VVV - Heerenveen

VVV put in quite a good performance against NAC last weekend, but the Venlo side eventually had to settle for a 2-0 loss. The Limburgers sit eleventh in the table with 21 points. Head coach Jan van Dijk will be without goalie Dennis Gentenaar and attacker Kris Boymans, but defender Patrick Paauwe returns from suspension. Heerenveen have been far from impressive lately and were beaten 2-1 by ADO Den Haag last Saturday. The Friezen have dropped to thirteenth spot in the table with 20 points. Michel Breuer, Goran Popov and Daryl Janmaat are all suspended, while Geert Roorda and Kenny Steppe are still out of action with injuries.

Prediction: 1-1

Twente - Heracles

The home side beat Roda 2-0 on Sunday to record their first Eredivisie win after the winter break. The win helped the Tukkers back to the summit of the table with 52 points. Head coach Steve McClaren will be without David Carney, Nashat Akram and Slobodan Rajkovic due to injuries. However, midfielder Cheick Tiote has returned to Enschede after his Africa Cup obligations. Heracles held Utrecht to a scoreless draw on Sunday and the Almelo side face yet another difficult task to defend their fifth spot in the table on Wednesday. Midfielder Mark Jan Fledderus is doubtful due to injury. However, centre back Birger Maertens returns to the match squad after a two-match ban.

Prediction: 2-0

PSV - Utrecht

Joint table toppers PSV were unable to beat Vitesse last Sunday and had to settle for a 0-0 draw. They still sit first in the table, but have to share top spot with Twente. Head coach Fred Rutten doesn't have too many injury worries, with Jan Kromkamp as his only notable absentee. Utrecht were held to a scoreless draw by Heracles last weekend and are the Eredivisie's number six side at the moment. The Domstedelingen have collected 32 points from 20 games so far. Full-back Mihai Nesu was dismissed last Sunday and is unavailable due to suspension. Furthermore, Hans Somers and Loic Loval will have to watch the game from the stands due to injury.

Prediction: 1-0

Ajax - Roda

The Amsterdam side held Feyenoord to a 1-1 draw last Sunday, but Ajax can't afford to slip up again if they are to stay in the race for the Eredivisie title. The Godenzonen are in third place and trail table toppers PSV by nine points. Ajax gaffer Martin Jol will be without defenders Toby Alderweireld and Thimothee Atouba due to injury. Roda put in a good performance against Twente last weekend, but the Limburgers were eventually beaten 2-0. The Kerkrade side are the Eredivisie's number twelve side with 20 points. Defenders Marcel de Jong, Eric Addo and Kris de Wree could all miss the game due to injury.

Prediction: 3-1

Sparta - Vitesse

Sparta have dropped to fifteenth spot in the table following a string of disappointing results. They were beaten 1-0 by NEC last weekend and have collected 19 points so far. Head coach Frans Adelaar doesn't have too many injury worries and will only be without Emmanuel Boakye. Vitesse somewhat surprisingly held PSV to a 0-0 draw last Sunday and are the Eredivisie's number ten team at the moment with only three more points than Wednesday's opponent. Young defender Kevin van Diermen is unavailable due to suspension, while skipper Rogier Molhoek is still out of action with an ankle injury.

Prediction: 1-2

RKC - Feyenoord

RKC are still sitting last in the table with only twelve points from 20 games and things got even worse last Friday, when they were beaten 2-1 by rivals Willem II. Kevin Vink and Gerard Lifondja are unavailable due to injury, but head coach Ruud Brood doesn't have any other notable absentees. Feyenoord caused Ajax all kinds of trouble on Sunday, but had to settle for a 1-1 draw in the end. The Rotteram side have collected 39 points so far and sit fourth in the league table. Head coach Mario Been will be without Dani Fernandez and Kelvin Leerdam due to injury, while Giovanni van Bronckhorst is doubtful, too.

Prediction: 0-2