Preview: Go Ahead Eagles vs PEC Zwolle - prediction, team news, lineups

Go Ahead Eagles play host to PEC Zwolle on Sunday looking for the win that would realistically secure top-flight survival for another season.

At a time when the home team sit in 13th position in the Eredivisie table, the visitors are just one place and one point ahead in 12th spot.

Match preview

Since their Europa League and KNVB Beker campaigns ended during the early part of the year, Go Ahead Eagles have been focused on top-flight survival and a bid for the European playoffs.

With a five-point advantage over the bottom three, the priority remains guaranteeing their place in the Eredivisie for another 12 months, while they may require at least five wins from their final six matches to challenge for the top eight.

That is a consequence of losing two of their last three games, a 4-1 home defeat to FC Twente being followed by a 2-0 reverse away at FC Utrecht before the March international break.

The 6-0 triumph over NAC Breda sandwiched in between may ultimately make a difference when it comes to avoiding relegation to the second tier, but a recent report has indicated that the game could have to be replayed due to Go Ahead Eagles fielding an ineligible player.

At this point, that remains speculation, but Melvin Boel's side have currently lost just three of their 14 league fixtures at De Adelaarshorst during 2025-26.

© Imago / Goal Sports Images

Meanwhile, PEC Zwolle have put together a five-match unbeaten streak that may prove to be enough to avoid relegation.

Four successive draws against FC Utrecht, Ajax, Sparta Rotterdam and Groningen were followed by a 2-1 win over NAC Breda before the international break.

Henry van der Vegt's side now sit six points clear of the bottom three, yet they make the trip to Go Ahead Eagles having won just one of their 14 away league games.

Their 2-0 victory at Telstar came in their first such encounter of the season. Despite a 13-match streak without an away success, PEC Zwolle have still scored 20 goals in total.

Go Ahead Eagles Eredivisie form:

PEC Zwolle Eredivisie form:

Team News

© Imago

The likes of Gerrit Nauber and Robbin Weijenberg have been sidelined for Go Ahead Eagles and are not expected back for this game.

Boel could tinker with his side after the defeat at Utrecht, with Thiho Baeten an option to be used down one of the flanks.

Evert Lindhorst could also be drafted back into midfield. Jakob Breum and Jaden Slory appear most likely to drop out if alterations are made.

Barring any fresh fitness issues, Van der Vegt may be against making changes to his PEC Zwolle XI.

With six goals and five assists this campaign, Kaj de Rooij is an obvious option ahead of Odysseus Velanas, but his replacement in the side contributed a goal and an assist last time out.

However, Jamiro Monteiro and Shola Shoretire are expected to be remained sidelined for the visitors.

Go Ahead Eagles possible starting lineup:

Busser; Adelgaard, Dirksen, Kramer, James; Meulensteen, Lindhorst; Baeten, Edvardsen, Suray; Sigurdarson

PEC Zwolle possible starting lineup:

Graaff; Gooijer, Velthuis, MacNulty, Floranus; Thomas, Buurmeester; Namli, Oosting, Velanas; Kostons

We say: Go Ahead Eagles 2-1 PEC Zwolle

With both of these teams in respectable form in the bottom half of the standings, we expect a hard-fought contest. Given PEC Zwolle's recent stalemates, another draw cannot be ruled out, but we are backing Go Ahead Eagles to edge this fixture by the odd goal in three.

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