Preview:Fortuna Sittard vs. NEC - prediction, team news, lineups

Two sides in desperate need of a lift face off in matchday eight of the Eredivisie season on Saturday when Fortuna Sittard play host to NEC.

The home side are yet to taste victory in any of their last five matches, while the visitors have only picked up one victory in that time.

Match preview

Fortuna Sittard ended a run of three consecutive defeats with a 1-1 stalemate against Vitesse at the Fortuna Sittard Stadion on Monday.

Mats Seuntjens opened the scoring early on for Sjors Ultee's men, before Nikolai Baden Frederiksen restored parity four minutes into the second half.

Consequently, the Fortunezen remain bottom but one in the league standings having picked up just five points from a possible 18 this term.

Judging by their record against this weekend's opponents, Saturday's hosts are faced with another stern test as they have won only one of the last seven meetings between the sides.

They are also yet to record a clean sheet so far, while only bottom-placed PEC Zwolle have found the back of the net on fewer occasions.

NEC Nijmegen suffered a second consecutive defeat in the space of three days following a 5-3 loss against Feyenoord at De Kuip on Sunday.

A Guus Til brace and further goals from Orkun Kokcu, Luis Sinisterra and Cyriel Dessers saw Rogier Meijer's men depart Rotterdam empty-handed despite getting on the scoresheet through Ivan Marquez, Cas Odenthal and Magnus Mattsson.

The Eniesee have managed only two of the last 12 points available and are in 10th place on the log ahead of this weekend's trip to Sittard-Geleen.

Only fellow newcomers Cambuur and Go Ahead Eagles have let in more goals away from home than Saturday's visitors who have some fixing up to do if they are to come away with all three points.

Team News

Lisandro Semedo is unavailable for his side due to an ankle injury which has seen him miss all of Fortuna's six outings this season.

The visitors will also have to make do with the absence of 24-year-old forward Arianit Ferati, who is currently battling with an illness.

Rens van Eijden is set to sit out a 12th fixture on the bounce as he remains ruled out with a knee problem which he picked up back in May.

Nineteen-year-old Mathias De Wolf is not expected to feature for the home side due to a muscle injury, but he is not far off a return to action.

Fortuna Sittard possible starting lineup:

Van Osch; Cox, Janssen, Angha, Tirpan; Rienstra, Tekie, Duarte; Seuntjens, Sambou, Hansson

NEC possible starting lineup:

Branderhorst; El Karouani, Odenthal, Marquez, Van Rooij; Schone, Proper, Duelund; Akman, Bruijn, Okita

We say: Fortuna Sittard 1-1 NEC

Both teams have struggled of late, so we expect a nervy and cagey affair with the sides cancelling each other out and having to settle for a point apiece at the end of the 90 minutes.