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

Days after finally losing in the Eredivisie, Feyenoord return to De Kuip on Saturday, aiming to get back to winning ways against promoted FC Volendam in gameweek 11's fixture.

Robin van Persie's team may have dropped to second place before they take the pitch, with PSV Eindhoven hosting Fortuna Sittard a day earlier, underlining the need for maximum points this weekend.

Match preview

It took 10 matchdays, but Feyenoord were defeated for the first time in the league in a recent five-goal thriller against PSV in Rotterdam, meaning the Stadium Club head into this round level on points with the Eindhoven giants.

The 3-2 loss to the defending Eredivisie champions ended De Stadionclub’s four-match winning start to the season at De Kuip, and Van Persie’s team aim to respond against the newly-promoted side.

The precedent in this fixture unsurprisingly favours the 16-time top-flight champions, who have won seven of the previous 10 encounters, drawing two and losing one in April 2009.

With no losses suffered against Volendam in Rotterdam since 1988, Feyenoord go into Saturday's match eager to maintain their 37-year unbeaten record at home against the visitors.

Securing maximum points to move past the recent defeat will keep them at the top on goal difference unless PSV obliterate Fortuna in the previous day's fixture.

Volendam head into this weekend's fixture having broken a two-match losing streak by defeating Heracles.

The 3-0 victory over the bottom-placed club means Rick Kruys’s team moved outside the bottom three ahead of gameweek 11, but their position remains precarious given the tight grouping of teams in the bottom six.

The promoted Volendam are one point above SBV Excelsior in the relegation playoff spot and three clear of second-bottom Telstar heading into Saturday.

Finishing the weekend in the bottom three remains a possibility for Het Nieuwe Oranje, especially since eight of their 10 points this season have been earned at home.

Only two of those points have come on their travels, where Volendam have suffered three consecutive defeats — 3-0 to Go Ahead Eagles, 1-0 to Fortuna and 3-1 at FC Utrecht — and a fourth might be expected before the challenging trip to De Kuip.

Feyenoord Eredivisie form:

Feyenoord form (all competitions):

FC Volendam Eredivisie form:

FC Volendam form (all competitions):

Team News

Jordan Bos was substituted after an apparent injury against PSV, meaning the Feyenoord left-back might join Thomas Beelen (leg), Jakub Moder (back), Malcolm Jeng (leg) and Gernot Trauner (Achilles) on the sidelines.

While Ayase Ueda did not score in the club’s first league defeat, the competition's top scorer aims to add to his 11 goals and four match-winning strikes on Saturday.

With Sem Steijn and Anis Hadj Moussa having six and five goal involvements so far, Feyenoord have other players with match-deciding quality apart from the division’s leading scorer.

The away side have no confirmed absentees, although Volendam physios will assess Yannick Leliendal and Xavier Mbuyamba, with Mbuyamba last featuring at the start of October.

Having accumulated four and three goal involvements this season, Robin van Cruijsen and Henk Veerman should play significant roles for the promoted club in Rotterdam.

Nordin Bukala scored and assisted in Volendam’s comfortable win over Heracles, and the midfielder looks set to make his 10th league start against the division leaders.

Feyenoord possible starting lineup:

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

FC Volendam possible starting lineup:

Van Oevelen; Payne, Amevor, Verschuren, Meijers; Yah, Bukala; Kuwas, Van Cruijsen, Kokcu; Veerman

We say: Feyenoord 2-0 FC Volendam

Although Feyenoord have conceded five goals in their last two league matches at De Kuip, it is unlikely that Van Persie’s men will fail to tighten up against this weekend’s visitors.

Considering Volendam’s away difficulties, the league leaders are expected to inflict a fourth consecutive defeat on the road for the league newcomers.

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