AZ will be looking to continue their ascent up the Eredivisie table when they take on Heracles at Erve Asito on Sunday afternoon.
The visitors have won three on the spin and remain unbeaten in the Dutch top flight this term, but they are 10 points behind leaders Ajax heading into this weekend's fixtures.
Heracles were beaten by Ajax in their most recent outing and are without a point in their last two matches, leaving them 13th in the division.
Match preview
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Having kicked off their campaign with five draws on the spin, AZ have since defeated RKC Waalwijk, Heerenveen and Emmen in their last three matches.
Arne Slot's side have kept a clean sheet in all three of those victories - a huge improvement on the 12 goals shipped in those first five games.
After finishing second in last season's curtailed campaign, AZ are now looking to continue climbing the division with games against Heracles, Groningen and Twente to come.
However, even accounting for the game in hand they hold over each of the sides above them, AZ have a huge task on their hands in making up the 10-point deficit on top spot.
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Whereas AZ are looking up the division, Heracles are looking over their shoulder following a 3-2 loss to VVV-Venlo and a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Ajax.
Frank Wormuth's charges did win their most recent home game 4-1 against Utrecht, though, making it five wins in their last seven top-flight outings at Erve Asito.
Heracles have a four-point buffer on the relegation zone and, given the tight nature of the division, they could climb as high as ninth if results go their way this weekend.
The hosts are winless in their last three encounters with AZ, however, with their most recent meeting at this ground finishing goalless in April.
Heracles Eredivisie form: LLDWLL
Heracles form (all competitions): LDWWLL
AZ Eredivisie form: DDDWWW
AZ form (all competitions): WWLWWD
Team News
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Heracles are having to contend with the loss of suspended midfielder Adrian Szoke and injured pair Jeff Hardeveld and Robin Propper.
Navajo Bakboord is the home side's only other fitness concern for this match.
Despite failing to score in eight league outings this season, Sinan Bakis is expected to lead the line for Heracles.
In terms of the visitors, Jordy Clasie and Ron Vlaar are being monitored ahead of this trip to Almelo.
Jeremy Helmer is definitely out because of a leg injury, but Calvin Stengs and Jesper Karlsson are fit and available.
Heracles possible starting lineup:
Brouwer; Schoofs, Rente, Knoester, Breukers; Bijleveld, Kiomourtzoglou; Water, Vloet, Torre; Bakis
AZ possible starting lineup:
Bizot; Svensson, Hatzidiakos, Martins Indi, Wijndal; Koopmeiners, Midsjo; Stengs, Wit, Karlsson; Gudmundsson
We say: Heracles 0-2 AZ
AZ have found their groove thanks to three successive Eredivisie wins, which has helped lift them into seventh.
The visitors were in Europa League action on Thursday, playing out a stalemate with Real Sociedad, but they should still have enough to pick up all three points at Heracles.
Top betting tip
Daniel Lewis
Data Analysis
Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a Heracles win with a probability of 39.9%. A win for AZ had a probability of 35.31% and a draw had a probability of 24.8%.
The most likely scoreline for a Heracles win was 2-1 with a probability of 8.67%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 1-0 (8.32%) and 2-0 (6.22%). The likeliest AZ win was 1-2 (8.08%), while for a drawn scoreline it was 1-1 (11.59%). The actual scoreline of 1-2 was predicted with an 8.1% likelihood.
