Preview:AZ Alkmaar vs. Almere City - prediction, team news, lineups

AZ Alkmaar will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing defeat last time out when they welcome Almere City to the AFAS Stadion on Saturday.

The away side, on the other hand, make the journey this weekend aiming to avoid a third defeat on the bounce and get their season back on track.

Match preview

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AZ Alkmaar were on the receiving end of a narrow albeit shock 2-1 defeat against NEC Nijmegen in Wednesday's encounter between the teams.

Pascal Jansen's men found themselves two down at half time thanks to strikes from Bas Dost and Bruno Martins Indi, after which Vangelis Pavlidis pulled one back.

While the Cheeseheads remain third in the Eredivisie table, they have now fallen a whopping 15 points behind PSV Eindhoven in the race for the title.

Coming up next is the task of facing off against an opposing outfit who have been beaten in the previous two editions of this fixture by a combined score of 8-0.

Off the back of what was only a first league at home in over six months, Saturday's hosts will be confident of securing an immediate return to winning ways in front of their fans.

Eredivisie newcomers Almere City fell to a 3-0 thrashing against Heerenveen when the sides faced off at the Abe Lenstra Stadion on Friday evening.

First-half goals from Pelle van Amersfoort and Sven van Beek left Alex Pastoor's men with a mountain to climb at the interval, before Van Amersfoort made sure of the result 20 minutes from time.

With just 13 points amassed from 14 matches this term, De Zwarte Schapen sit 16th in the standings, although they are only in the drop zone on goal difference.

Having seen their five-game unbeaten streak on the road come to an end last time out, Saturday's visitors now set out to avoid consecutive away losses for the first time since August.

Team News

Mees de Wit is yet to make an appearance for AZ Alkmaar since late August and will not be playing any part in this weekend's contest.

Vangelis Pavlidis has found the back of the net in each of his last four outings for the home side, making him one to keep an eye on here.

Twenty-three-year-old Hamdi Akujobi remains unavailable for selection, having missed each of Almere's last seven games through a damaged knee.

The away side will also be without the services of Faiz Mattoir, but the Comoros international is not far off making a return to action.

AZ Alkmaar possible starting lineup:

Ryan; Sugawara, Bazoer, Penetra, Wolfe; Clasie, Mijnans; Lahdo, De Wit, Van Brederode; Pavlidis

Almere City possible starting lineup:

Bakker; Castell, Mbe, Van Bruggen, Jacobs, Floranus; Koopmeiners, Robinet, Resink; Hansen, Van La Parra

We say: AZ Alkmaar 4-1 Almere City

AZ Alkmaar hit a bump in the road last time out, but we can see them serving up an immediate response with a comfortable win this time around, scoring plenty of goals en route.

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