In-form AZ Alkmaar travel to the Stadion Galgenwaard on Sunday to lock horns with FC Utrecht in round nine of the 2022-23 Eredivisie campaign.
The home side are looking to make it four wins in five matches while their visitors go in search of a fifth straight victory across all competitions.
Match preview
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AZ Alkmaar maintained their perfect record in the Europa Conference League courtesy of a 3-2 triumph over Apollon Limassol at the AFAS Stadion on Thursday.
Goals from Jens Odgaard and Dani De Wit saw Pascal Jansen's men lead 1-0 and 2-1 but they were pegged back on either occasion by Patrick Joosten and Euclides Cabral before Jesper Karlsson grabbed the winner five minutes from time.
The Cheeseheads eased past the challenge of Groningen in a 4-1 win in their last outing on Saturday and currently sit top of the Eredivisie table.
Lying in store next is a visit to an opposing ground which does not hold happy memories for Sunday's away side, who have won just one of their last seven matches here.
However, AZ will head into the clash with the wind in their sails off the back of six straight wins on the road since the middle of August.
FC Utrecht saw off the threat of newly-promoted Excelsior following a narrow 1-0 win when the teams faced off at Van Donge & De Roo Stadion on Sunday.
Henk Fraser's men got themselves in front just past the half-hour mark through Sander van de Streek and that proved to be the all-important moment in Rotterdam.
Having picked up 10 of the last 12 points available, The Domstedelingen have moved up to seventh place in the league standings and things are beginning to look up once again.
In the first of two daunting tasks, Sunday's hosts will be aiming to set the tone with a dominant display before they tackle PSV Eindhoven next weeekend.
Team News
Tommy St Jago and Bart Ramselaar are currently battling with long-term knee injuries and neither player will feature for Utrecht this weekend.
Dutchman Ramon Hendriks also misses out for the hosts as the 21-year-old remains ruled out for the foreseeable future due to a ruptured cruciate ligament.
Vangelis Pavlidis remains unavailable for AZ Alkmaar due to a leg injury, while Bruno Martins Indi is set to miss a third consecutive game.
This weekend's visitors are also set to be without the services of 22-year-old Hakon Evjen, who is yet to fully recover from an ankle problem.
FC Utrecht possible starting lineup:
Barkas; Warmerdam, Sagnan, Van der Maarel, Klaiber; Bozdogan, Toornstra; Younes, Van de Streek, Maeda; Dost
AZ Alkmaar possible starting lineup:
Verhulst; Kerkez, Dekker, Beukema, Chatzidiakos; Clasie, De Wit, Reijnders; Sugawara, Odgaard, Van Brederode
We say: FC Utrecht 1-2 AZ Alkmaar
After a rough start to the season, Utrecht have turned a corner in recent weeks but head into this weekend's match as second favourites. We are tipping AZ to emerge victorious at the sound of the final whistle here.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
