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

FC Twente and PEC Zwolle face off on Saturday at De Grolsch Veste, aiming to return from the festive break with a win.

The hosts will have one eye on exacting revenge on their visitors after a 1-0 defeat in August's reverse fixture to kick off the 2025-26 campaign.

Match preview

Nine games unbeaten heading into their clash against Feyenoord at De Kuip, Twente were set for a tough task to end 2025 still without a defeat since October 26, but secured a 1-1 draw on their trip to Rotterdam.

John van den Brom's men were pegged back by Goncalo Borges's leveller 16 minutes from time, cancelling out Daan Rots's second goal in as many matches and a fifth in seven outings, which came just shy of the 20th-minute mark.

That was a division-high seventh draw for the Twente, who, despite losing only one of their last 13 league matches, are currently seventh in the Eredivisie table, four points adrift of the top four.

A defeat in their upcoming encounter could see the Tukkers drop as low as 10th, and Twente will be wary of facing Zwolle, having failed to win any of the last three meetings since recording four straight victories in this fixture between December 2021 and May 2024.

Only four teams have scored fewer home goals than Saturday's hosts (12) so far, and this weekend's clash offers Twente a huge opportunity to change that against an opposing side that have conceded a league-worst 27 goals on the road.

Having picked up seven points from a possible nine to end November, Zwolle had plenty of optimism heading into their December schedule, which brought little festive cheer.

Three defeats in four outings across all competitions, either side of a 1-0 triumph over Fortuna Sittard, saw Henry van der Vegt's men bow out of the KNVB Beker at the hands of AZ Alkmaar, and while they are five points clear of the drop zone, their European aspirations have taken a hit.

De Blauwvingers' most recent 2-1 defeat to SBV Excelsior marked an eighth straight away league match without a win, during which Zwolle have only managed three draws, losing the other five.

Saturday's journey to Enschede kicks off a taxing run for the visitors, who will play teams in the current top seven over the next three gameweeks, before closing out January with a home clash against relegation-threatened Telstar.

Despite Zwolle's recent struggles, they have made a habit of starting games with a bang, scoring first in six of their last eight outings. However, this weekend's opponents are no slouches in that regard, too, having broken the deadlock on all but one occasion over their last seven affairs.

FC Twente Eredivisie form:

FC Twente form (all competitions):

PEC Zwolle Eredivisie form:

PEC Zwolle form (all competitions):

Team News

Taylor Booth, Max Bruns and Naci Unuvar are currently nursing muscle problems and will miss out this weekend, while Mees Hilgers is recovering from a knee injury he suffered during pre-season.

Meanwhile, Ramiz Zerrouki remains on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations, where he has helped Algeria secure a place in the quarter-finals.

Sondre Orjasaeter and Bart van Rooij both picked up injury scares in the second half of the hosts' 1-1 draw against Feyenoord last time out and will need to be assessed to determine their availability.

Dutch duo Odysseus Velanas (ankle) and Jasper Schendelaar (thigh) are guaranteed absentees for Zwolle, who will also have to make do without Braydon Manu and Olivier Aertssen.

David Voute and Samir Lagsir are both major doubts for the away side, although the latter is drawing increasingly closer to a comeback.

FC Twente possible starting lineup:

Unnerstall; Van Rooij, Lemkin, Propper, M. Rots; Kjolo, Van den Belt; D. Rots, Hlynsson, Pjaca; Lammers

PEC Zwolle possible starting lineup:

De Graaff; Floranus, MacNulty, Graves, Gooijer; Buurmeester, Thomas, Oosting; De Rooij, Kostons, Shoretire

We say: FC Twente 3-1 PEC Zwolle

Zwolle have struggled on their travels this term, with over two-thirds of their 19-point tally coming in home matches.

This will be music to the ears of Twente, who have won three straight on home turf, and we expect the hosts to extend their winning streak with a routine victory on Saturday.

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