Preview:Telstar vs FC Utrecht - prediction, team news, lineups

FC Utrecht make the trip to Telstar on Sunday looking for the victory that would catapult them back into the race for a top-three spot in the Eredivisie table.

Meanwhile, the home side sit in 17th position in the standings after going five matches without success in the Dutch top flight.

Match preview

After last season's fourth-placed finish, Ron Jans has the conundrum of trying to balance Eredivisie and Europa League football with the natural target being securing continental football on a regular basis.

With five defeats coming in 12 Eredivisie fixtures, Jans cannot be overly satisfied, but Utrecht remain in fifth position and just five points adrift of third place.

Furthermore, the Cathedral Citizens have prevailed in their last two domestic matches, recording wins over NEC Nijmegen and Ajax to move themselves back into contention.

Having also recently earned a draw with Porto in the Europa League, Utrecht have put together a three-game unbeaten run in all competitions for the first time since the end of August.

However, you have to go all the way back to the final day of that month for Utrecht's last away triumph in any competition, a run spanning five contests.

At a time when Utrecht hold the fifth-worst away record in the Eredivisie, Telstar hold the worst home return having accumulated just five points from six fixtures.

Their solitary success came via a 4-2 scoreline against Go Ahead Eagles, while they have also netted 11 times at BUKO Stadion.

Nevertheless, despite the positives that can be taken from the newly-promoted team sitting within three points of 14th place at this stage of the campaign, Anthony Correia will recognise that his team need to find something extra to stay in the division.

Albeit currently on a five-game streak without a league win, Telstar did earn a goalless draw at FC Twente before the November international break, as well as thrashing Lisse 5-0 by a 5-0 scoreline in the KNVB-Beker.

Telstar Eredivisie form:

W L L L D D

Telstar form (all competitions):

L L L W D D

FC Utrecht Eredivisie form:

D L W L W W

FC Utrecht form (all competitions):

W L L W D W

Team News

While Telstar will be without the suspended Mohamed Hamdaoui, the forward was only introduced as a substitute last time out.

Barring any fresh fitness issues, there is no reason for Correia to tinker with a side that kept a clean sheet at eighth-placed Twente.

Soufiane Hetli should keep his place down the centre of the attack despite four games without a goal.

Utrecht are also likely to select the same starting lineup if everyone has returned from the November international break unscathed.

Left-back Souffian El Karouani is one of the stars of this season's Eredivisie having already contributed two goals and eight assists from 12 starts.

The visitors remain without Mike van der Hoorn, Niklas Vesterlund and Victor Jensen due to injury.

Telstar possible starting lineup:

Koeman; Koswal, Offerhaus, Bakker; Noslin, Owusu, Rossen, Hardeveld; Brouwer, Kamp; Hetli

FC Utrecht possible starting lineup:

Barkas; Horemans, Didden, Viergiver, Karouani; Engwanda, Zechiel; Rodriguez, De Wit, Blake; Haller

We say: Telstar 1-3 FC Utrecht

Although Telstar have avoided defeat in their last two matches, we cannot ignore that the visitors got the better of Ajax before the international break. With that in mind, we are backing Jans' side to record a relatively-comfortable victory on away territory.

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