Aiming to kick on from a relatively slow start to their domestic campaign, Ajax will travel to the Mandemakers Stadium to take on RKC Waalwijk on Sunday.
THe visitors currently sit ninth in the Eredivisie table, having only played four matches thus far, while their hosts find themselves at the foot of the division after losing each of their first six outings.
Match preview
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RKC Waalwijk return to action on Sunday aiming to put an end to a dismal start to their sixth consecutive Eredivisie campaign, having narrowly avoided relegation last time around.
Indeed, Henk Fraser's side finished 15th and only led the relegation playoff place on goal difference, and they now find themselves at the foot of the table having not yet managed a point from their first six attempts this time around.
Across those games, RKC have conceded a joint-league-high tally of 17 goals, while only 17th-placed Almere City have netted fewer than their three goals, two of which came in 5-1 and 2-1 defeats in their opening two games against PSV Eindhoven and Groningen.
A goalless run then followed as Fraser's men succumbed to comfortable defeats at the hands of Go Ahead Eagles, AZ Alkmaar and Willem II, before most recently hosting Sparta Rotterdam on Saturday and again coming away empty-handed, as Richonell Margaret's goal on the hour mark was not enough to spark a comeback after Mohamed Nassoh and Camiel Neghli had the visitors 2-0 up.
With pressure and concern quickly growing around the club, RKC Waalwijk will be desperate to record their first points of the campaign while taking a major scalp in Sunday's meeting.
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Their visitors, meanwhile, make the trip on Sunday aiming to continue a fine start to their season, albeit having not yet found their groove in their pursuit of the Eredivisie title.
In a busy start to the campaign, Ajax have already been involved in 11 competitive fixtures, picking up eight victories and only suffering two defeats along the way, sealing their place in the Europa League league phase as a result.
Only four of those games have come in the Dutch top flight, though, including one of the defeats and the solitary draw, as Francesco Farioli's side fell to a disappointing loss to NAC Breda in August and were frustrated in a draw with Go Ahead Eagles last time out, either side of a 5-0 thrashing of Fortuna Sittard courtesy of goals from Kenneth Taylor, Bertrand Traore, Youri Baas, Devyne Rensch and Chuba Akpom.
On the back of last weekend's 1-1 draw, in which Davy Klaassen earned them a point 20 minutes from time, De Godenzonen were back in continental action on Thursday, raising the curtain on their Europa League league-phase campaign at home to Besiktas, and they kicked off in style with a 4-0 triumph as Kian Fitz-Jim and Taylor netted goals alongside a Mika Godts brace.
Now sitting on seven points from their four league outings thus far, with two more to play before the next international break, Ajax will bid to kick into gear to join the Eredivisie's frontrunners, starting with an important victory on their travels on Sunday.
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Team News
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RKC Waalwijk head into the weekend without attacker Michiel Kramer, who will serve the final game of a suspension, while Silvester van der Water, Faissal Al Mazyani, Richard van der Venne and Nouri El Harmazi are all set to remain confined to the treatment room.
Richonell Margaret should come back in and feature in the attack from the start, having opened his account for the season off the bench in last week's defeat to Sparta Rotterdam, with the injured Van der Venne having netted their only two other goals thus far.
Chris Lokesa and Denilho Cleonise should keep their places on the wings, while key defender Roshon van Eijma is a fresh injury concern after being forced off in the second half last time out, meaning Julian Lelieveld may come in to deputise alongside mainstay Dario Van den Buijs.
Ajax are faced with several injury issues heading into the weekend, as Gaston Avila, Steven Berghuis and Sivert Mannsverk remain confined to the treatment room, although defender Youri Baas did return to contention in the week.
Facing a quick turnaround from Thursday's continental win, Francesco Farioli may opt to make several changes to his starting XI on Sunday, with Wout Weghorst and Chuba Akpom both having claims to come back into the attack from the start, while Mika Godts is bound to keep his place on the left wing after netting a brace against Besiktas.
Baas should again partner Josip Sutalo at the heart of a full-strength back four, while Jordan Henderson, Kenneth Taylor and Kian Fitz-Jim should form an unaltered midfield trio from Thursday's resounding win.
RKC Waalwijk possible starting lineup:
Houwen; Van Gelderen, Van Den Buijs, Lelieveld, Meijers; Van De Loo, Roemeratoe, Weidmann; Cleonise, Margaret, Lokesa
Ajax possible starting lineup:
Pasveer; Rensch, Sutalo, Baas, Hato; Taylor, Henderson, Fitz-Jim; Traore, Weghorst, Godts
We say: RKC Waalwijk 0-3 Ajax
With momentum from a dominant midweek continental victory and the need to build a winning run in their bid to regain the Eredivisie title, Ajax should have more than enough to cruise past an RKC Waalwijk side devoid of any confidence at the start of the term.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Sam Varley
