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

Looking to move on from another continental disappointment, Feyenoord host FC Utrecht in Sunday’s Eredivisie fixture at De Kuip, aiming to extend their unbeaten league start.

Robin van Persie’s team are undefeated in the top flight heading into the eighth round, and the Stadium Club are strong favourites to maintain that streak, though they will be cautious of the Cupfighters after losing the corresponding fixture last season.

Match preview

Feyenoord probably believed they deserved more against Aston Villa on Thursday, after edging proceedings and creating the game's better chances.

However, Emiliano Buendia and John McGinn scored second-half goals to inflict a second Europa League defeat on the Eredivisie leaders, who had also fallen to Braga a week earlier.

Van Persie's men have experienced no such issues domestically, where they remain one of just two clubs in the division yet to suffer a league defeat after seven rounds — alongside third-placed Ajax.

Although a draw would keep the Rotterdam club at the top of the table, Van Persie's players will regard this as a grudge match after the events of January's 2-1 defeat at De Kuip.

That loss ended Feyenoord's five-match winning streak in this fixture and a seven-game unbeaten run that had lasted nearly four years, and players on the home side will remember that reverse from eight months ago.

While the defeat in January occurred a month before Van Persie's arrival in Rotterdam, it does not diminish the former striker's ambition to see his side return to winning ways after Thursday's setback against Unai Emery's Villa.

Facing Utrecht in this form possibly gives the table-topping side hope of securing maximum points after Ron Jans's team slipped to yet another defeat in the Europa League.

Unlike Feyenoord, whose defeats have been on the continent, Utreg have now been beaten in four of their past five matches across all competitions, with three occurring in the Eredivisie.

A noticeable disappointment during the current run is the decline in goals scored by Utrecht since the September international break.

Having begun the season failing to score just once across all competitions — and that was the second leg of a Europa League qualifying tie in which they led 2-0 against Zrinjski — Jans's side have now fired blanks in four of their most recent five matches, both domestically and in Europe.

Drawing 2-2 against Heerenveen now appears to be an anomaly during this run, and it will be interesting to see if Utreg have any success against a Feyenoord defence that have conceded just four league goals all season.

Feyenoord Eredivisie form:

Feyenoord form (all competitions):

FC Utrecht Eredivisie form:

FC Utrecht form (all competitions):

Team News

Quinten Timber missed Thursday's match with a suspected foot injury, and the midfielder might also be absent from Sunday's game, thereby joining Gernot Trauner, Jakub Moder and Thomas Beelen on the sidelines.

Ayase Ueda has outscored every player in the Eredivisie ahead of the league’s eighth round, and the forward will aim to add to his six top-flight goals after failing to score against Villa during the week.

The division’s top scorer will be supported by Sem Steijn, who has scored three and assisted one, bringing him to four goal involvements before this weekend’s fixture.

Missing due to injury for the away side are Yoann Cathline, Victor Jensen, Rafik El Arguioui, Davy van den Berg and Dani de Wit, while Mike van der Hoorn will be assessed after coming off with an apparent problem against Brann.

Souffian El Karouani has scored once and set up four from left-back, highlighting the wide defender’s threat from such situations, as he aims to add to his five involvements this weekend.

David Min may have scored his third Eredivisie goal in last weekend’s 2-2 draw with Heerenveen, but he endured a difficult evening in the Europa League loss to Brann, which he hopes to put behind him on Sunday.

Feyenoord possible starting lineup:

Wellenreuther; Read, Ahmedhodzic, Watanabe, Smal; Steijn, Targhalline, Valente; Moussa, Ueda, Sauer

FC Utrecht possible starting lineup:

Barkas; Horemans, Eerdhuijzen, Viergever, El Karaouani; Engwanda, Iqbal; Rodriguez, Zechiel, Blake; Min

We say: Feyenoord 2-0 FC Utrecht

Utrecht may have pulled off a surprise victory in the corresponding fixture in January, but it is difficult to look past a Feyenoord win this weekend.

Van Persie’s team give little away domestically, and De Stadionclub should see off a currently goal-shy opponent to maintain their position at the top of the table ahead of the October international break.

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