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

Separated by three places in the Eredivisie table, Groningen host FC Twente in Sunday's gameweek 11 fixture at Euroborg.

While the visitors cannot finish the weekend higher than sixth, their fifth-placed hosts could leapfrog AZ Alkmaar and Ajax and move to third if they win and other results go their way.

Match preview

Groningen may be four points and three places ahead of their opponents this weekend, but they have not beaten their Enschede-based visitors in eight years.

Since consecutive wins over Twente in May and September 2017, 12 fixtures have passed without Pride of the North securing maximum points in this fixture, losing six and drawing as many.

While previous results at Euroborg at the start of the season might have given them confidence to end their eight-year wait for a victory over Twente, consecutive home defeats to Feyenoord and Sparta Rotterdam mean their three successive home wins over Heerenveen, Heracles and Telstar are somewhat forgotten.

Aiming to return to winning ways, Dick Lukkien’s team know that securing a fourth home win and seventh overall could lift them above AZ and Ajax, who respectively enter this round three points and one point ahead of them in the table.

The form table shows them sixth over the past five rounds on nine points, with De FC winning three and losing two during that period, a record that ranks below five teams in the league: PSV Eindhoven (13 points), Heerenveen (11), Feyenoord, Twente and AZ (10 each).

However, Twente's results in the past two rounds have seen them pick up just one point from six available, most recently losing 3-2 to Ajax in Enschede.

That defeat ended a run of two wins and a draw in their home fixtures, but they now travel to Euroborg seeking to maintain a three-match away winning streak.

The victories over FC Utrecht (1-0), NAC Breda (2-1) and Fortuna Sittard (2-1) followed 4-1 and 4-2 defeats in Alkmaar and Eindhoven, respectively, highlighting how quickly the narrative changes at this level of the sport.

With only PSV and Heerenveen outscoring them for points across the past five rounds, John van den Brom’s team now aim to respond to their consecutive winless games and potentially climb into sixth place above Sparta and NEC, although this depends on winning and both clubs in sixth and seventh failing to do so.

On the other hand, a first away defeat since August could see them slip in the table, given the group of clubs just one point behind: Utrecht, Go Ahead Eagles, Heerenveen and Fortuna.

Groningen Eredivisie form:

Groningen form (all competitions):

FC Twente Eredivisie form:

FC Twente form (all competitions):

Team News

While Groningen have a relatively healthy squad, Wouter Prins is a potential absentee, having not played for about a fortnight.

While a starting role is unlikely for Brynjolfur Darri Willumsson, the five-goal man aims to make an impact off the bench to boost his overall tally.

Younes Taha has been involved in five goals this season, and the attacking midfielder could face his parent club on Sunday; meanwhile, Marco Rente and Stije Resink also aim to add to their four direct contributions this weekend.

Unlike Groningen, Twente have several injury-enforced absentees: Daouda Weidmann, Nees Hilgers, Max Bruns (muscle) and Mathias Kjolo (knee).

Ricky van Wolfswinkel, who has scored three penalties across consecutive Eredivisie matches, has netted six goals this season, and the forward aims to increase his overall tally in gameweek 11.

Kristian Hlynsson and Sondre Orjasaeter have assisted two goals each this season; both aim to be creative again on Sunday.

Groningen possible starting lineup:

Vaessen; Rente, Blokzijl, Janse, Peersman; De Jonge, Resink; Van de Werff, Taha, Schreuders; Van Bergen

FC Twente possible starting lineup:

Unnerstall; Van Rooij, Propper, Nijstad, Rots; Zerrouki, Van den Belt; Pjaca, Hlynsson, Orjasaeter; Van Wolfswinkel

We say: Groningen 2-2 FC Twente

While Twente's unbeaten streak in this fixture should extend to 13, the visitors from Enschede are unlikely to win a fourth consecutive away match.

Groningen, though, will hope to move on from two consecutive losses at Euroborg and secure a point, even if they may not claim a first win in this fixture in eight years.

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