Ajax and SBV Excelsior draw the curtain on gameweek 10 of the 2022-23 Eredivisie season with a meeting at the Johan Cruyff ArenA on Sunday.
The home side go in search of consecutive league wins for the first time in over a month, while their visitors aim to end a three-game winless streak.
Match preview
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Ajax's hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages of the Champions League were dealt a serious blow following Wednesday's 4-2 defeat against Napoli.
Alfred Schreuder's men went into the interval with a mountain to climb thanks to first-half goals from Hirving Lozano and Giacomo Raspadori, but they managed to pull one back through Davy Klaassen before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen got on the scoresheet either side of Steven Bergwijn's strike to seal the deal.
Just before that, De Godenzonen secured a 4-2 win over FC Volendam, which remains their only win in the last six games across all competitions.
Currently sitting second in the Eredivisie table, Ajax now prepare for the challenge of an opposing side with just one win in the most recent 16 encounters between the teams since 2008.
Having gone two consecutive home games without a win for the first time in over a year, Sunday's hosts will be eager to return to winning ways in front of their fans.
Excelsior ended a run of back to back defeats on Saturday evening when they played out a 1-1 stalemate against NEC Nijmegen at the Stadion de Goffert.
Marinus Dijkhuizen's men went behind to Landry Dimata's opener on the stroke of the hour mark before restoring parity through Lazaros Lamprou in the 88th minute.
With 10 points from their nine league games so far, the Kralingers are 12th in the league standings, four points clear of relegation danger.
Having let in a combined 11 goals in their last four away matches, Sunday's visitors will be wary of being picked apart on the road once again.
Team News
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Devyne Rensch was absent from the defeat to Napoli in midweek due to a muscle injury, which is set to keep him out of Sunday's game as well.
Mohammed Ihattaren's last appearance for Ajax came back in July and he is not expected to play any part here, while Ahmetcan Kaplan also misses out through a knee problem.
Mohammed Kudus has netted five times in his last five home appearances for the home side, making the Ghana international one to keep an eye on.
Nikolas Agrafiotis is ruled out for Excelsior yet again as the 22-year-old continues to nurse a muscle injury which has seen him fail to feature this term.
Yassine Ayoub was forced off with a first-half injury last time out, and the midfielder is a major doubt for this weekend's trip to Amsterdam.
Ajax possible starting lineup:
Pasveer; Bassey, Blind, Timber, Sanchez; Taylor, Alvarez, Klaassen; Tadic, Kudus, Bergwijn
SBV Excelsior possible starting lineup:
Van Gassel; Tjoe, Seymor, El Yaakoubi, Horemans; Eijgenraam, Baas; Azarkan, Goudmijn, Driouech; Van Duinen
We say: Ajax 3-1 SBV Excelsior
Ajax have been breached in each of their last six games, and we expect that to continue here. That said, we are also backing the home side to emerge victorious at the end of the 90 minutes.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
