NEC Nijmegen welcome FC Utrecht to the Goffertstadion on Saturday evening for an Eredivisie encounter.
In a clash between 13th and 15th, the two sides would have hoped for a better start, and failure to win again could see them slip ominously closer to the drop zone.
Match preview
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Nijmegen have shown some promising glimpses so far, none more so than an impressive 3-0 win over RKC Waalwijk here in their last home outing.
That was a much-needed victory as it ended a five-game losing streak for NEC here at the Goffertstadion.
Their only other home match so far this season saw them squander 2-1 and 3-2 leads to lose 4-3 in an exhilarating encounter with Excelsior on the opening day.
Rogier Meijer's men have taken just four points from their four games since, but a 4-0 defeat at PSV Eindhoven last weekend was to be expected given the gulf in class.
It leaves them just one point above the relegation places though, and with Utrecht currently one of the few sides below them in touching distance, they cannot afford to lose.
Nijmegen now face four mid-table sides back-to-back, providing an opportunity to pick up points in all of them to move themselves away from trouble.
However, their recent record against Utrecht does not offer much optimism, as they are winless in the last seven meetings between the sides.
Utrecht have won four of those encounters, including 3-0 wins here in both 2017 and 2021.
They will hope for another three points over these opponents as they look to turn the tide under new manager Ron Jans.
A 3-1 win in Jans's first game in charge against Heracles Almelo last week was a huge step in the right direction.
Defeats to PSV, Heerenveen, Zwolle and Feyenoord, where Utrecht conceded 10 and scored just once, saw the board waste no time in pulling the trigger and sacking manager Michael Silberbauer.
With a winnable away match on the horizon followed by matches against the current bottom two Almere City and Volendam, Jans could really take advantage and get off to a flyer.
It was not the start the club expected after finishing up in seventh last season, but their upcoming fixtures are kind and the fans will expect to continue their ascent up the table.
Team News
Nijmegen's Bas Dost could feature against the side he left just over a month ago, where he scored nine league goals last season.
Dost is yet to start for Nijmegen though, and he could take his place on the bench again behind Koki Ogawa.
Manager Meijer will be without both Kas de Wit and Elayis Tavsan for the visit of Utrecht here.
Utrecht, meanwhile, are still reeling from the late summer exit of last season's top scorer Anastasios Douvikas, who joined Celta Vigo.
Replacing his 20 goals will be a big ask, but netting three last week was a positive sign.
Jans made multiple changes for his first game in charge, and they paid off as they ran out 3-1 winners.
Othman Boussaid, Ole ter Haar Romeny, Oscar Fraulo, Victor Jensen and Mark van der Maarel all came into the side and will expect to keep their places.
While Dost made the move from Utrecht to Nijmegen, left-back Souffian El Karouani went in the other direction, and he has played every minute for the club so far.
NEC possible starting lineup:
Cillessen; Pereira, M R Jensen, Verdonk, Baas; Proper, Schone, Hansen; Gonzalez, Ogawa, Mattsson
FC Utrecht possible starting lineup:
Barkas; Ter Avest, Flamingo, Van der Maarel, El Karouani; V Jensen, Bozdogan, Fraulo; Ter Haar Romeny, Seuntjens, Boussaid
We say: NEC 1-2 FC Utrecht
Under new management, Utrecht took a positive step with a fine win on the road last week, and they may do so again here with the changes Jans has come in and made.
The hosts have shown no real consistency, already losing three of their opening five games, and that run could continue here.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Andrew Delaney
