Preview: Ajax vs. NEC Nijmegen - prediction, team news, lineups

Winless against NEC for two years, Ajax return to Eredivisie action on Saturday in matchday eight, looking to overcome Dick Schreuder’s team.

The Amsterdam giants were held to a 2-2 draw by SBV Excelsior before the international break, while their Nijmegen visitors will have welcomed the hiatus as an opportunity to regroup after an underwhelming start to 2026-27.

Match preview

Ajax’s continued failure to keep clean sheets has come back to bite them, as they could only draw against Excelsior before the three-week break.

Michel’s men attempted 33 shots to the Rotterdam outfit’s four, but De Joden conceded from two of the visitors’ efforts on a frustrating evening at the Johan Cruyff Arena.

De Godenzonen are back on home soil three weeks after failing to convert more than two of their 33 attempts against Excelsior, and they will hope to exploit NEC’s below-par start to the campaign to potentially rise to second if they win and Feyenoord, PSV Eindhoven and FC Twente all drop points.

While that outcome appears unlikely in the same gameweek, Michel’s men will remain focused on beating the Nijmegen outfit after going three matches without a victory against them since a 2-1 success in December 2024.

Since that success, Ajax have suffered a 3-0 defeat and been held to a 1-1 draw in the other meeting in Amsterdam, a disappointing sequence against a side they had beaten in five of the previous seven encounters while drawing the other two.

Even though they head into this weekend having lost just once to NEC in 32 meetings, Ajax’s ongoing three-match winless run is the longest such sequence since the Nijmegen outfit recorded three draws from December 2006 to January 2008.

NEC will be hoping to extend their unbeaten run against Ajax on Saturday, even if they must produce a significantly better performance than the ones they delivered before the break.

Schreuder’s side commendably played out a 1-1 draw with Go Ahead Eagles last time out, a result that followed a disappointing 5-0 hammering by Juventus on their Europa League bow, with a 3-0 defeat to promoted Cambuur preceding that continental setback.

As such, the pause was timely for NEC, who have won just three of their 12 matches in all competitions this season, with two of those victories coming in the Eredivisie and leaving them 11th in the table.

That position will worsen if their failure to keep clean sheets is not offset by their forwards finding form in the attacking third, given that Schreuder employs an approach that has seen his team concede almost as many goals as they have scored.

Ajax Eredivisie form:

Ajax form (all competitions):

NEC Eredivisie form:

NEC form (all competitions):

Team News

Kasper Dolberg suffered a serious knee injury during Denmark training, all but ruling the forward out for the rest of the season, which represents a significant blow for the 29-year-old after he scored two goals and provided three assists in his previous three Eredivisie appearances.

Also absent for the hosts are Daley Blind (back), Simon Adingra (foot) and Aaron Bowman, who remains sidelined after sustaining a serious injury against PSV Eindhoven in De Topper; Caio Henrique is understood to be carrying a knock and will be assessed before Saturday.

Tolu Arokodare is likely to lead the attack in Dolberg’s absence, giving the Nigerian a clear run at the No. 9 role for the foreseeable future.

NEC’s key attackers have so far disappointed this season, with Tjaronn Chery failing to add to his three league goals after three consecutive blanks, Bryan Linssen scoring just once and Dusan Tadic providing only one assist in six appearances.

Schreuder’s team are battling a host of injury problems, with Gonzalo Crettaz (hamstring), Deveron Fonville (ankle), Ahmetcan Kaplan (knee), Bryan Nuytinck (ankle) and Emre Mor (groin) ruled out, while Clement Bischoff (hamstring) and Kevin Kers are touch-and-go for matchday eight.

Ajax possible starting lineup:

Ter Stegen; Gaaei, Kehrer, Baas, Wijndal; Klaassen, Mokio, Brandt; Berghuis, Arokodare, Gloukh

NEC possible starting lineup:

Polster; Bras, Schuurs, Storm; Tahaui, Nejasmic, Lebreton, Thomas; Chery, Tadic; Linssen

We say: Ajax 2-1 NEC

Ajax’s persistent defensive vulnerability means that another clean sheet is unlikely, but their chance creation against Excelsior suggests that scoring should not be an issue at the other end.

NEC’s poor form and extensive injury list could ultimately prove decisive, so we are backing the Amsterdam giants to end their three-match winless run in this fixture.

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