Go Ahead Eagles and Ajax square off in the Eredivisie on Sunday afternoon with both teams looking to strengthen their bid for the top four.
Just two points separate these teams in the table, Ajax holding a two-point advantage over their sixth-placed opponents after their recent resurgence.
Match preview
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While John van't Schip has no doubt made a positive impact at Ajax, he may have been pleased to see the winter break arrive when it did.
After a run of four successive wins, the Dutch giants blew a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at home with PEC Zwolle before surprisingly being dumped out of the KNVB-Beker.
Dutch minnows USV Hercules pulled off one of the all-time shocks in beating Ajax 3-2, defying a late comeback from their more illustrious opponents before netting a 90th-minute winner.
With one of their routes into Europe now not available, Van't Schip knows the importance of securing at least a fourth-placed finish, with the current gap to AZ Alkmaar standing at eight points.
An unflappable PSV Eindhoven travel to Amsterdam on February 3, increasing the pressure on Ajax to take advantage of the schedule ahead of facing the leaders.
However, they face a Go Ahead Eagles side that sit just two points adrift of them in the table, even with the surprise package losing their way before the winter break.
Rene Hake's side failed to win any of their final four league games of 2023, collecting just two points, and Hake will hope that his players have been able to reset ahead of attempting to earn an unlikely spot in Europe.
Unlike their next opponents, Go Ahead Eagles remain in the KNVB Beker after thrashing De Treffers by a 7-1 scoreline in their closing fixture of last year.
Although just two defeats have been posted at De Adelaarshorst in 2023-24, they both came in their last two fixtures, losing to Twente and FC Utrecht respectively.
Team News
Hake named a strong side for the cup demolition of De Treffers and it would come as little surprise if he kept the same Go Ahead Eagles XI.
On that occasion, Evert Linthorst was the solitary change, making it likely that he keeps his spot ahead of Enric Llansana.
With the alterations that he made for the Hercules fixture not paying off, Van't Schip is expected to revert to an Ajax side closer to the one that started versus PEC Zwolle.
Carlos Forbs is an option in the final third but, barring any fitness issues, the team may stay the same.
Silvano Vos and Branco van den Boomen both remain on the sidelines, while none of the other injured players will challenge for a starting spot.
Go Ahead Eagles possible starting lineup:
De Lange; Deijl, Amofa, Kramer, Kuipers; Llansana, Rommens; Breum, Willumsson, Edvardsen; Sow
Ajax possible starting lineup:
Ramaj; Rensch, Sutalo, Hato, Sosa; Tahirovic, Taylor; Berghuis, Akpom, Martha; Brobbey
We say: Go Ahead Eagles 1-3 Ajax
After the winter break, both teams will be looking to make their mark, and an extended period without a game could have benefitted both clubs. Nevertheless, Ajax look a strong outfit under this management, and we are backing them to run out convincing winners.
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