Looking to address their current slumps in form, AZ Alkmaar and Cambuur go head-to-head at the AFAS Stadion on Saturday in round 23 of the 2022-23 Eredivisie season.
Both teams head into this weekend's encounter on a run of one win in five games across all competitions, which has seen them suffer huge blows in their respective ambitions.
Match preview
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AZ Alkmaar came away empty-handed from their heavyweight meeting against division leaders Feyenoord at De Kuip on Sunday thanks to a narrow 2-1 defeat.
Pascal Jansen's men took the lead fortuitously as Javairo Dilrosun turned the ball past his own goalkeeper before strikes from Alireza Jahanbakhsh and Marcus Pedersen turned the game around.
Consequently, the Cheeseheads have dropped down to third in the Eredivisie table and are now five points behind top spot with no game in hand.
Their next task comes against an opposing outfit who have secured just one win in the previous 17 meetings between the teams dating back to 1998.
Having netted 11 times across their last three matches on home turf, Saturday's hosts will back themselves to deliver another attacking masterclass in front of their fans.
Cambuur fell to a sixth straight home defeat on Sunday as they were beaten 2-1 by Heerenveen when the sides faced off at the Cambuur Stadion.
Sjors Ultee's men got off to a good start and broke the deadlock through Bjorn Johnsen, only for Osame Sahraoui and Milan van Ewijk to change the course of the game with goals in either half.
A tally of 13 points from 22 matches sees the Yellow-Blues remain rock bottom of the league standings, a whopping seven points adrift of safety.
Off the back of three straight clean sheets on the road leading up to Saturday's affair, the away side will look to keep things tight at the back once again.
Team News
AZ's trio of Riechedly Bazoer, Sem Westerveld and Sam Beukema are still unavailable through knee injuries, while Dani de Wit misses out with a leg injury.
Bruno Martins Indi has not featured in over five months for the hosts due to a long-term hip injury, and the 31-year-old is still a considerable way off making his return to action.
Maxim Gullit and Jamie Jacobs are also ruled out of contention for Cambuur as they continue to nurse thigh and hamstring injuries respectively.
Marco Tol is set to sit out a second game on the bounce due to a knock which the Dutchman picked up against NEC Nijmegen earlier this month.
AZ Alkmaar possible starting lineup:
Ryan; Kerkez, Hatzidiakos, Goes, Sugawara; Clasie, Reijnders; Van Brederode, Karlsson, Odgaard; Pavlidis
Cambuur possible starting lineup:
Ruiter; Bangura, Smand, Bergsma, Schmidt; Van Kaam, Paulissen, Breij; Foor, Johnsen, Van der Water
We say: AZ Alkmaar 3-0 Cambuur
AZ have enjoyed the better of this fixture to a large extent, and the odds are firmly in their favour to emerge victorious once again. We expect the hosts to emerge triumphant in comfortable fashion come the sound of the full-time whistle.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Adepoju Marvellous
