Preview: FC Twente vs NAC Breda - prediction, team news, lineups

FC Twente will be looking to get their season back on track when they welcome NAC Breda to De Grolsch Veste in the Eredivisie on Saturday evening.

Both sides sit just above the relegation zone after poor starts to the campaign, with Twente in 14th and NAC in 15th, each on three points after four matches.

Match preview

Twente have endured a frustrating start to the 2024-25 campaign, collecting just one win from their opening four league matches.

That sole victory came in a 2-1 triumph away to Heerenveen, though they squandered a clean sheet after conceding a late goal deep into stoppage time.

The Enschede outfit were unable to build on that result before the international break, falling to a 1-0 away defeat against Excelsior despite the latter being reduced to 10 men as early as the 21st minute.

With just two goals scored and five conceded so far, Twente’s lack of cutting edge in attack and lapses in concentration at the back have been costly.

The hosts' early struggles follow a disappointing end to last season, when they missed out on European football after losing the playoff final to AZ Alkmaar.

The club announced the dismissal of head coach Joseph Oosting after a disappointing run of results last week, stating there was no indication of improvement.

Oosting, who had guided the side to third place in 2023-24 and sixth last season, was relieved of his duties, with assistant manager Jeffrey de Visscher taking temporary charge.

De Visscher will be aiming to restore confidence and improve the team’s efficiency in both finishing chances and defending counterattacks, while aerial duels remain one of Twente’s few strengths.

Like their hosts, NAC Breda have also struggled in the opening weeks of the season, recording one win and three defeats from four games.

They opened with a 2-0 loss to Feyenoord, before edging Fortuna Sittard 2-1 thanks to goals from Lewis Holtby and Juho Talvitie.

Since then, Carl Hoefkens’s men have failed to score in back-to-back defeats, losing 3-0 to NEC Nijmegen and 1-0 to AZ Alkmaar, with striker Sydney van Hooijdonk sent off in the latter match.

That lack of goals has been particularly surprising given their prolific preseason, in which they netted 18 times in nine friendlies. They now need to translate that attacking intent into competitive fixtures.

The recent head-to-head record favours Twente, who have won five and drawn four of their last 10 meetings with NAC; Breda’s only success in that run came earlier this year, a narrow victory that they will hope to replicate.

FC Twente Eredivisie form:

L L W L

NAC Eredivisie form:

L W L L

Team News

Twente will remain without midfielder Mathias Kjolo, who is recovering from a knee injury and is expected back in early October.

Forward Sam Lammers also misses out as he continues his recovery from shoulder surgery.

For NAC, Sydney van Hooijdonk serves a one-match suspension following his red card against AZ, though an appeal successfully reduced the length of his ban.

Dion Versluis, who has come off the bench three times this season, is likely to replace him in the attack and make good use of the minutes.

Defender Terence Kongolo is nursing a muscle injury and is considered doubtful after missing the last three matches.

FC Twente possible starting lineup:

Unnerstall; Rooij, Bruns, Propper, Rots; Zerrouki, Van den Belt; Rots, Hlynsson, Booth; Van Wolfswinkel

NAC Breda possible starting lineup:

Bielica; Kemper, Hillen, Mahmutovic, Lucassen; Holtby, Balard; Sowah, Nassoh, Talvitie; Versluis

We say: FC Twente 1-0 NAC Breda

Twente’s poor start and recent managerial change make them unpredictable, but home advantage and their superior record against NAC give them a slight edge.

NAC, meanwhile, continue to struggle in front of goal despite a promising preseason and will miss suspended striker Van Hooijdonk. A cagey, low-scoring game feels the most likely outcome.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.