Preview: Go Ahead Eagles vs FC Utrecht - prediction, team news, lineups

Off the back of disappointing European sojourns, Go Ahead Eagles and FC Utrecht will face off at De Adelaarshorst on Sunday afternoon in round 14 of the 2025-26 Eredivisie season.

Both teams are still awaiting a first win since returning from the international break and head into the clash in Deventer in need of a pick-me-up.

Match preview

Having beaten Feyenoord in their final outing before international duty took centre stage, Go Ahead Eagles looked set to claim consecutive league victories for the first time since September as they headed into the midway point of their clash against Heracles narrowly ahead.

However, a second-half collapse saw Melvin Boel's men go on to lose 4-2, before the pride of the IJssel Kowet were comprehensively thrashed 4-0 in Thursday's Europa League league-phase clash against Stuttgart.

Go Ahead Eagles have now shipped seven unanswered goals and 12 in total over the last five matches across all competitions, keeping no clean sheets in that time.

Juggling domestic commitments with the added burden of European football, Go Ahead have performed slightly worse than at this same stage last season, where they had two more points than their current tally of 16 and sat five places higher in the Eredivisie table.

Winless in their last eight home matches against Utrecht, Sunday's hosts have not fared well in front of their fans against their upcoming opponents. However, they can draw confidence from the fact that they have won both of their last two league outings on home turf.

With games against AZ Alkmaar, Lyon and FC Twente to follow this weekend's encounter, Go Ahead Eagles are set for arguably their toughest run of fixtures this term and will need to rise to the occasion.

Securing a 2-1 win over Ajax, Utrecht also headed into the November international break on a high but were sent crashing back down to earth in their subsequent league outing against Telstar that ended in a 1-1 draw courtesy of Can Bozdogan's stoppage-time equaliser.

While that was undoubtedly a disappointing result for Ron Jans's men, it extended their unbeaten streak at the time to four matches and snapped a run of four straight away defeats.

Back on the road for the second time in four days, Utrecht were beaten for the first time in just over a month by Real Betis to leave them still searching for a first victory in the Europa League league phase.

Sitting fifth in the league table with 20 points from a possible 39, De Domstedelingen are a long way off their blistering start to the 2024-25 campaign, which had them second after 13 matches.

They do, however, boast the joint second-meanest defence in the division, although Sunday's visitors have now conceded in each of their most recent four matches and 13 of their last 14 affairs.

Go Ahead Eagles Eredivisie form:

Go Ahead Eagles form (all competitions):

FC Utrecht Eredivisie form:

FC Utrecht form (all competitions):

Team News

Dean James was sent off in Go Ahead's last league outing and will serve a one-game suspension this weekend, bringing an end to his run of four consecutive starts.

Robbin Weijenberg and Pim Saathof are nursing knee injuries and miss out as a result, while Gerrit Nauber remains sidelined with a leg problem.

Suriname international Richonell Margaret could return to action here after not featuring for the hosts against Stuttgart due to illness.

Niklas Vesterlund is yet to recover from a knee problem and is one of two guaranteed absentees for Utrecht alongside Davy van den Berg.

An ever-present for the visitors this term, Souffian El Karouani will need to pass a late fitness test to play any part this weekend, having come off injured against Betis.

Go Ahead Eagles possible starting lineup:

De Busser; Adelgaard, Kramer, Meulensteen, Deijl; Rahmouni, Twigt; Suray, Goudmijn, Baeten; Smit

FC Utrecht possible starting lineup:

Barkas; Murkin, Viergever, Didden, Horemans; Zechiel, Engwanda; Cathline, De Wit, Rodriguez; Haller