Ajax will be looking to take a step closer to the 2024-25 Eredivisie title this weekend when they travel to Stadion Galgenwaard to take on FC Utrecht on Sunday afternoon.
A victory for the hosts here will see them draw level with third-place Feyenoord on 59 points, while three points for the visitors will take them 12 clear at the top of the table.
Match preview
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With five games to go before the end of the season, Ajax are now on the cusp of securing their 37th top-flight title, following two dismal seasons where they briefly flirted with relegation and suffered several setbacks.
De Godenzonen need another seven points to secure the silverware, and may be able to lift the trophy as early as next weekend, provided they win their next two matches and results elsewhere in midweek go in their favour.
Rolling the dice on Francesco Farioli at the start of the term has proven to be a masterstroke for Ajax, as the 34-year-old has guided the team to 13 wins in their last 14 games, a period during which they also overtook defending champions PSV.
Farioli has also helped turn the Johan Cruijff ArenA back into a fortress, with the side winning 12 of their 14 home games to date (D2), while maintaining clean sheets in half of those matches and scoring two or more goals in all but two games.
On the road, Ajax are riding a seven-match win streak dating all the way back to mid-December, and they produced six consecutive shutouts before conceding once against Willem II last time out in a 2-1 victory.
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Meanwhile, after three consecutive seasons finishing seventh and missing out on European football, FC Utrecht are now sitting in fourth place and still in with a shot of overtaking Feyenoord to enter the Champions League qualifiers.
After suffering an unexpected 1-0 home defeat to NEC ahead of the March international break, Utreg are now unbeaten in their last three games, with their most recent match ending in a 3-1 victory over Groningen last week.
Against Trots van het Noorden, Souffian El Karouani gave Ron Jans's side the lead inside the opening 10 minutes, and Yoann Cathline doubled their lead 10 minutes later before Sebastien Haller secured the points with their third of the afternoon moments before the interval.
Still, despite the improvement made by the hosts this term, one area they will want to improve in the next campaign will be their home form, with all five of their defeats this season coming here at Stadion Galgenwaard.
Team News
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After sustaining a knee injury against Go Ahead Eagles a couple of weeks ago, Utrecht have confirmed that Zidane Iqbal will need to undergo surgery and will miss the remainder of the season.
The former Manchester United academy graduate will join longer-term absentees Can Bozdogan and Niklas Vesterlund on the sidelines for the rest of the campaign, while Miguel Rodriguez is flagged as a doubt owing to a groin strain.
Ajax have four players ruled out for this match due to injury, including Amourricho Van Axel-Dongen (ankle), Remko Pasveer (groin), Youri Baas (groin) and Branco van den Boomen (knock).
Last weekend against Willem II, Wout Weghorst scored his first goal since returning from his injury, and he could be handed a start this week, which would likely see Brian Brobbey drop to the bench.
FC Utrecht possible starting lineup:
Barkas; Horemans, Van der Hoorn, Viergever, El Karouani; Fraulo, Engwanda; Cathline, Aaronson, Rodriguez; Haller
Ajax possible starting lineup:
Matheus; Rosa, Sutalo, Kaplan, Hato; Klaassen, Henderson, Taylor; Traore, Weghorst, Godts
We say: FC Utrecht 1-2 Ajax
While Utrecht are enjoying a progressive season, they have been significantly better on the road than at home, with all five of their defeats this term coming here at Stadion Galgenwaard.
Ajax are making it look easy as they close in on the title, currently unbeaten in their last 14 games, including 13 wins, and we feel they will add to to record with another three points in this one.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Devesh Jaganath
