Preview: NAC Breda vs FC Utrecht - prediction, team news, lineups

Relegation-threatened NAC Breda will look to end a four-game losing run when they welcome FC Utrecht to the Rat Verlegh Stadion on Sunday.

The hosts are languishing in 17th spot in the Eredivisie table, while the visitors will head into matchday 16 in seventh position.

Match preview

NAC occupy one of the two automatic relegation spots after winning three, drawing three and losing nine of their 15 Eredivisie matches this season.

Carl Hoefkens's side have failed to add to their 12-point tally since recording a narrow 1-0 home victory over Go Ahead Eagles at the start of November.

After losing 2-1 away to FC Volendam, NAC have suffered three consecutive 1-0 defeats against PSV Eindhoven, Excelsior and Sparta Rotterdam.

Having gone three games without a goal, they have now failed to trouble the scorers in six league matches this term - more than any other side in the division, highlighting one of the main reasons why they are two points adrift of safety.

As they return to Rat Verlegh Stadion, Sunday's hosts can at least take some confidence from the fact that they have conceded just eight goals in seven home league games this season - only three teams have let in fewer on home turf.

They will hope that home advantage will be decisive in their efforts to claim their first league victory against Utrecht since running out 3-1 winners in December 2017.

Utrecht may be unbeaten in their last five Eredivisie matches (W2, D3), but they have failed to win their previous five competitive games since they pulled off an impressive win over Ajax on November 9.

They drew with Telstar and Go Ahead Eagles on either side of a narrow defeat to Real Betis in the Europa League, before they played out a 1-1 scoreline in their home meeting with Twente last Sunday.

Ron Jans's side looked set to draw another game in Thursday's Europa League home clash with Nottingham Forest after Mike van der Hoorn cancelled out Arnaud Kalimuendo's opener, only for Igor Jesus to net an 88th-minute winner to condemn Utrecht to a narrow 2-1 defeat.

That result represented Utrecht's fifth defeat of the league phase (D1), leaving them six points adrift of the top and with little to no chance of progressing to the knockout rounds.

They will be desperate to return to winning ways on Sunday, especially as they have lost six of their previous eight competitive away games (D2) since they recorded their most recent victory on the road in August.

Utrecht can at least take confidence from the fact that they have won four of their last five meetings with NAC, including a 2-1 success on their most recent visit to the Rat Verlegh Stadion in August 2024.

NAC Breda Eredivisie form:

D W L L L L

NAC Breda form (all competitions):

L W L L L L

FC Utrecht Eredivisie form:

L W W D D D

FC Utrecht form (all competitions):

W D L D D L

Team News

The home side are still unable to call upon the services of Fredrik Jensen and Leo Greiml due to injury.

There are also doubts surrounding the availability of defender Terence Kongolo and forward Moussa Soumano.

Defender Boyd Lucassen and forward Sydney van Hooijdonk could come into Hoefkens thinking if he decides to make changes for Sunday's contest.

Meanwhile, Utrecht are still having to cope without Derry Murkin, Noah Ohio, David Min and Davy van den Berg.

Matisse Didden will have to be assessed after he was forced off in the second half of Thursday's home clash with Nottingham Forest.

Van der Hoorn and Nick Viergever could return to the centre of Utrecht's backline after dropping down to the bench in midweek.

NAC Breda possible starting lineup:

Bielica; Talvitie, Valerius, Odoi, Hillen, Kemper; Holtby, Nassoh, Balard; Sowah, Van Hooijdonk

FC Utrecht possible starting lineup:

Barkas; Horemans, Van der Hoorn, Viergever, El Karouani; De Wit, Engwanda, Zechiel; Rodriguez, Cathline, Haller

We say: NAC Breda 1-1 FC Utrecht

Utrecht may still be recovering from Thursday's efforts, and considering they have gone over three months without an away win, we think they will miss the opportunity to return to winning ways against a struggling NAC side.

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