Preview: FC Twente vs. PEC Zwolle - prediction, team news, lineups

FC Twente are aiming to continue their good form which will help them keep their sights set on third place, currently sitting fifth and four points behind Feyenoord.

They welcome 18th-placed PEC Zwolle to De Grolsch Veste on Saturday, with the visitors fighting to save their status in the top flight, currently sitting just two points behind 15th spot.

Match preview

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Ron Jans's side have put together a strong string of results in recent weeks, with their 1-0 win over AZ Alkmaar on Sunday extending their winning streak to three games.

Joshua Brenet was on target last time out, in a game of few chances but an important three points for FC Twente against the side just above them in the table.

This Saturday's hosts will be confident about claiming another victory as their record on home soil has been good this season, only tasting defeat once on their own patch.

Twente have only conceded eight goals in 12 matches at De Grolsch Veste, suggesting that they will be looking for another clean sheet this weekend as a platform to build from for three points.

Jans's team are 18 points clear of eighth spot and the chasing pack for a top-seven finish and European football next year, meaning that they are all but secure for a Europa Conference League playoff spot, but they will be aiming for an easy route into that competition by finishing third.

In contrast, Dick Scchreuder's side need to get some positive results in their remaining eight matches to avoid dropping to the second tier of Dutch football, but this encounter follows on from another outing against a top-five side in the league.

Last time out, Zwolle allowed Feyenoord to come from behind after Bram van Polen gave the hosts the lead, but they eventually fell to a 2-1 defeat.

Saturday's visitors are unlikely to be able to keep a clean sheet, having conceded 26 goals in 13 matches on their travels, so they will have to look to be efficient in attack to outscore their opponents.

Including this encounter, Zwolle must play five of the current top seven in their remaining matches, meaning that they will have to pick up some points against top opposition to keep the pressure on the teams above them.

Twente were comfortable 3-1 winners in the reverse fixture back in December, with their goals coming from Dimitrios Limnios, Manfred Ugalde and Virgil Misidjan on that occasion.

Team News

Midfielder Michal Sadilek, who is on loan from PSV Eindhoven, will be forced to miss out this weekend after receiving his fifth yellow card of the campaign last time out.

Mees Hilgers and Wout Brama are also expected to be absent from Twente's squad due to injury, but there are no new concerns for the hosts to be affected by.

Twente will operate in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Ricky van Wolfswinkel leading the line, while Misidjan and Daan Rots provide the width from the attacking midfield line.

Yuta Nakayama also picked up his fifth yellow card of the season last weekend, meaning that he will be absent from Zwolle's side, so Siemen Voet could come into the starting lineup and back three.

Dean Huiberts is nearing a return from injury but is likely to remain sidelined this Saturday, while Sam Kersten and Samir Lagsir face a longer recovery process and will remain sidelined for the rest of the season due to injury.

Striker Oussama Darfalou was forced off in the first half against Feyenoord due to injury, so Slobodan Tedic could lead the line alongside Daishawn Redan.

FC Twente possible starting lineup:

Unnerstall; Smal, Pleguezuelo, Propper, Brenet; Bosch, Zerrouki; Misidjan, Vlap, Rots; Van Wolfswinkel

PEC Zwolle possible starting lineup:

Lamprou; Van der Werff, Voet, Van Polen; De Wit, Clement, Van den Belt, Saymak, Anderson; Tedic, Redan

We say: FC Twente 1-1 PEC Zwolle

Twente's three victories in their current winning streak have all been close encounters with just one goal being the difference, meaning that Zwolle should use that to their advantage to pick up a point this weekend.

Both of these teams have it all to play for at different ends of the table, but Zwolle's expected fight to avoid relegation could be enough to get a result on Saturday.