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

Seeking to conclude 2025 with a third straight victory, Groningen make the journey to De Adelaarshorst to face off against Go Ahead Eagles on Sunday in round 17 of the 2025-26 Eredivisie season.

The hosts, meanwhile, will be aiming to snap a four-game winless league run to build on their penalty-shootout victory on cup duty last time out.

Match preview

Winning six of their first 10 matches, Groningen made a bright start to the season but saw their momentum take a hit after failing to come out on top in any of the subsequent six games.

Dick Lukkien's men were knocked out of the KNVB Beker by Sparta Rotterdam during that span and dropped from fifth to eighth in the Eredivisie table, somewhat derailing their European ambitions.

However, Trots van het Noorden have since beaten SBV Excelsior and Volendam by a combined score of 5-0 to get their campaign back on track ahead of their upcoming assignment.

After going 12 matches unbeaten in this fixture between 1999 and 2023, Groningen have been beaten in consecutive clashes by Go Ahead Eagles, who completed a league double last season.

Despite only just ending a run of four consecutive defeats on the road in their most recent away outing against Excelsior, Sunday's visitors will head into the clash with optimism.

With a combined 15 goals between the teams in the final 15 minutes of matches this term, some late drama could be on the cards in Deventer this weekend.

Like Groningen, Go Ahead Eagles also kicked off proceedings this term on a promising note before going on a dry spell, which saw them win just once in 11 outings across all competitions from the start of November until Wednesday's KNVB Beker clash against Roda.

Despite going up against lower-league opponents, Melvin Boel's men had a less-than-straightforward path to victory, needing the luxury of penalties after a 1-1 stalemate in 120 minutes of action.

Picking up fewer points than all but three teams over the last 10 Eredivisie gameweeks, Go Ahead Eagles have fallen five points shy of continental qualification in 11th place and are now just four points ahead of relegation danger.

Nonetheless, the pride of the IJssel Kowet have been near impossible to topple in front of their fans, going unbeaten in six of seven league matches this term, either side of a 3-0 defeat to Sparta back in August.

While Sunday's hosts have been shambolic at the back of late, having conceded in 10 straight matches, their defensive record on home turf has been solid, as only Ajax, Utrecht and Groningen have let in fewer goals.

Go Ahead Eagles Eredivisie form:

Go Ahead Eagles form (all competitions):

Groningen Eredivisie form:

Groningen form (all competitions):

Team News

The absence of Gerrit Nauber (leg) and Pim Saathof (knee) has left Go Ahead Eagles a bit light in defence, with both men not expected back in action until next year.

Higher up the pitch, Soren Tengstedt remains out with a foot issue, while Robbin Weijenberg is still a long way off returning to the fold from a knee issue.

Mats Deijl missed his side's cup triumph over Roda through injury and is one of two huge doubts for the home side, alongside Oskar Sivertsen (head).

Backup goalkeeper Hidde Jurjus is Groningen's only injury concern for this one after his omission from the squad last time out.

Sitting on four yellow cards apiece, Stije Resink and Dies Janse will need to keep their discipline in check to avoid a fifth caution of the season and, consequently, a one-game ban.

Marco Rente was absent against Volendam due to suspension, but the German is now eligible to feature once again.

Fresh from ending a 13-game goal drought for club and country since August, Brynjolfur Willumsson will be aiming to pick up where he left off.

Go Ahead Eagles possible starting lineup:

De Busser; James, Kramer, Van Zwam, Adelgaard; Rahmouni, Meulensteen; Suray, Edvardsen, Baeten; Smit

Groningen possible starting lineup:

Vaessen; Mercera, Blokzijl, Janse, Peersman; Resink, De Jonge; Schreuders, Van Bergen, Taha; Willumsson

We say: Go Ahead Eagles 2-2 Groningen

Meetings between Go Ahead Eagles and Groningen in Deventer have usually served up a high level of entertainment, and we are expecting Sunday's clash to be no different.

The away side are the more in-form team, but given the hosts' toughness to crack in front of their fans, we are backing a share of the spoils come the end of the 90 minutes.

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