Preview:AZ Alkmaar vs. FC Utrecht - prediction, team news, lineups

AZ Alkmaar will be looking to continue their near-perfect start to 2023 when they welcome FC Utrecht to the AFAS Stadion on Saturday evening.

On the other hand, the away side make the journey seeking to pick up back to back victories for the first time since the turn of the year.

Match preview

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AZ Alkmaar picked up a fourth straight victory by seeing off the threat of Go Ahead Eagles in a convincing 4-1 win at De Adelaarshorst on Wednesday.

Arne Slot's men opened the scoring through Vangelis Pavlidis after which strikes from Djordje Mihailovic, Yukinari Sugawara and Zico Buurmeester put the game to bed, rendering Willum Thor Willumsson's goal largely inconsequential.

Having amassed 13 of the last 15 points available, the Cheeseheads remain second in the Eredivisie table, two points adrift of division leaders Feyenoord.

Their next task sees them face off against an opposing outfit with little to choose between the teams, as the most recent six meetings have yielded two wins apiece and two draws.

In the first of two clashes within a 10-day span, Saturday's hosts will back themselves to get the better of their visitors and keep up their title pursuit.

Utrecht ended a run of two matches without a win courtesy of a narrow 1-0 triumph over SBV Excelsior at the Stadion Galgenwaard on Wednesday.

Michael Silberbauer's men raced to an early lead through Anastasios Douvikas's sixth-minute opener, which proved to be the all-important moment in a tight affair.

Consequently, the Domstedelingen have moved up to seventh place in the league standings, two points clear of Heerenveen in the race for the final continental spot.

Off the back of a first clean sheet in seven matches across all competitions last time out, Saturday's visitors will be keen to keep their hosts at bay this weekend.

Team News

AZ's Sam Beukema is yet to fully recuperate from a knee problem which has seen him miss each of the last two matches, as Dani de Wit continue to nurse a leg problem.

Defender Bruno Martins Indi is edging closer to making a return to action, but this weekend's encounter is expected to come too soon for him.

Djordje Mihailovic opened his account for the hosts at the fourth time of asking last time out, and the 24-year-old is set to be rewarded with a third start on the bounce. Ramon Hendriks and Bart Ramselaar are long-term absentees for Utrecht as they continue their respective spells on the sidelines due to long-term knee injuries.

Following his winner against Excelsior, Anastasio Douvikas has found the back of the net in each of his last two starts, making him one to keep an eye on.

AZ Alkmaar possible starting lineup:

Ryan; Kerkez, Vanheusden, Chatzidiakos, Sugawara; Claise, Reijnders; Odgaard, Mihailovic, Karlsson; Pavlidis

FC Utrecht possible starting lineup:

Barkas; Ter Avest, Van der Hoorn, Sagnan, Viergever; Bozdogan, Toornstra; Booth, Van de Streek, Boussaid; Douvikas

We say: AZ Alkmaar 3-1 FC Utrecht

AZ Alkmaar are firing on all cylinders at the moment, and it is hard to envisage any other result rather than a home victory. That said, we expect FC Utrecht to put up a decent fight, giving rise to an absorbing affair.

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