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

Without an Eredivisie victory over FC Twente since 2022, Fortuna Sittard welcome the Tukkers to the Fortuna Sittard Stadion in Saturday’s 28th gameweek.

Having won three of their last four league matches, Fortuna are chasing a European playoff qualification spot, but must overcome one of the division’s in-form teams to strengthen their position in the table.

Match preview

After suffering a shock 4-1 loss at the hands of relegation-threatened Telstar in the previous gameweek, Sittard needed a response against FC Volendam to bolster their prospects of finishing in the competition’s top eight.

Danny Buijs’s team did just that by defeating the side in 14th, securing a 2-1 victory that keeps them 11th in the standings, three points adrift of FC Utrecht heading into the 28th round.

While three places separate them from Utrecht in eighth, Fortuna could still break into the European playoff spots if they maintain their current consistency and results elsewhere go their way over the coming weeks.

Indeed, that aspiration could be realised this weekend, although it depends on Fortuna ending a four-year wait for a victory over Saturday’s visitors.

When Fortuna defeated Twente 2-1 in May 2022, it marked a third consecutive victory over the Tukkers; however, the Reds have since responded with six wins from the next seven meetings, drawing once in April last year.

Twente’s dominance is reflected in an aggregate score of 16-4, with the Pride of the East keeping four clean sheets in seven encounters over the past four years.

Fans travelling to the municipality of Sittard-Geleen may well anticipate another victory over Fortuna, given the form table.

Even though John van den Brom’s side were beaten last time out by another in-form team in FC Utrecht, they remain third in the form table over the previous five rounds, accumulating 10 points from a possible 15.

Only Heerenveen (12) and Utrecht (11) have claimed more points than Twente during that period, though the away side will be wary of their hosts having secured just one fewer point over the same run.

Nonetheless, Twente’s nine goals scored and five conceded, compared to Fortuna’s nine and 12 respectively, underline the visiting club’s superiority in both boxes.

Twente will be fully aware that a brilliant run over the coming weeks could see them leapfrog Ajax and possibly challenge for the third-place spot, currently occupied by NEC.

With Twente five points off the Nijmegen outfit, the Reds have every reason to believe that a place in the division’s top three is achievable.

Fortuna Sittard Eredivisie form:

FC Twente Eredivisie form:

Team News

Fortuna are likely to be without top scorer Kaj Sierhuis and second top scorer Mohamed Ihattaren, who have 16 goals between them, leaving five-goal Paul Gladon as their leading attacking threat.

Also missing are the sidelined Justin Lonwijk, Alen Halilovic, Ramazan Bayram, Mattijs Branderhorst and Daley Sinkgraven, all of whom remain in the treatment room.

Twente, for their part, have shared the goals around, with Ricky van Wolfswinkel (eight), Daan Rots and Kristian Hlynsson (both seven) all heavily involved, while five-goal Sam Lammers has continued his impressive campaign.

While Van Wolfswinkel has scored five of his eight goals away from home, the three away strikes apiece from Rots and Hlynsson add to the growing sense that Twente possess several potential match-winners.

Thomas van den Belt misses out due to a one-match suspension, while Mees Hilgers (knee) will take no part on Saturday.

Fortuna Sittard possible starting lineup:

Koopmans; Pinto, Hübner, Márquez, Dahlhaus; Michut, Brittijn; Limnios, Duijvestijn, Peterson; Gladon

FC Twente possible starting lineup:

Unnerstall; Van Rooij, Lemkin, Nijstad, Rots M.; Hlynsson, Zerrouki, Weidmann; Rots D., Lammers, Orjasaeter