Preview: FC Utrecht vs. Almere City - prediction, team news, lineups

FC Utrecht play host to Almere City on Sunday looking to strengthen their hold of third place in the Eredivisie table.

In sharp contrast, the visitors are cut adrift at the bottom of the standings and desperately need to achieve something from this game.

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Match preview

For all of their impressive form this campaign, it is fair to say that Utrecht have started to lose their way just a touch in recent games.

Although a goalless draw at home to AZ Alkmaar was deemed acceptable, they have since been held by Heracles and PEC Zwolle.

To make matters more frustrating, Ron Jans's outfit also went down to Heracles in the KNVB Beker in midweek, costing them a chance of domestic silverware during one of their best seasons in recent memory.

Switching their attention back to the league, just two victories have been posted in their last nine Eredivisie games, albeit one of those coming at Feyenoord.

Despite their lofty third-placed position and sitting eight points adrift of leaders PSV Eindhoven, Utrecht have not won any of their last four home league encounters.

Almere City have recently made the decision to appoint Jeroen Rijsdijk as their new head coach in an effort to instigate an upturn in fortunes.

However, this remains a team that has collected just one point from their three fixtures since the turn of the year, that being a goalless draw at 15th-placed Groningen.

Home defeats to Heracles and relegation rivals RKC Waalwijk - by a 4-1 scoreline - has left the Black Sheep sitting 10 points adrift of 16th position.

With no away win in the league all season and just two goals being scored in nine such fixtures, Rijsdijk is aware of the size of the task ahead of the trip to Stadion Galgenwaard.

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Team News

Having made a number of changes for the KNVB Beker tie, Jans's Utrecht XI could revert to a similar side from the thriller at PEC Zwolle.

Matisse Didden and Sebastien Haller could return to the starting lineup, while Zidane Iqbal will be assessed having been withdrawn at half time in the last league fixture.

The same applies with Victor Jansen who missed the cup defeat despite supplying two assists as a substitute a week ago.

Almere City will be forced into at least one change courtesy of Joey Jacobs having been sent off versus RKC.

James Lawrence appears most likely to be drafted into the team, while Anas Tahiri may be recalled in the engine room.

FC Utrecht possible starting lineup: Barkas; Engwanda, Didden, Viergiver, Karouani; Fraulo, Iqbal; Descotte, Aaronson, Cathline; Haller

Almere City possible starting lineup: Bakker; Akujobi, Lawrence, Barbet, Zagaritis; Haye, Kamp; Hansen, Robinet, Kadile; Brym

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We say: FC Utrecht 2-0 Almere City

With Utrecht having posted a succession of draws, they are hardly in the most convincing form heading into this contest. Nevertheless, we still expect them to come through this fixture with a clean sheet and three points.

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

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