Preview: NEC vs. Ajax - prediction, team news, lineups

NEC and Ajax are neck and neck in the Eredivisie table ahead of Saturday’s gameweek 17 fixture at Goffertstadion.

Having won the most recent fixture in May, the Nijmegen-based side aim for consecutive victories over De Joden for the first time in recorded history, and that outcome could see them move above Fred Grim’s team into third place to round off 2025 for both clubs.

Match preview

NEC’s failure to beat promoted Telstar last weekend not only saw the high-flying team miss out on the chance to win five league games in a row, but they also lost third spot to Ajax.

Dick Schreuder’s team responded to the 2-2 draw with a 3-1 KNVB Beker triumph at AFC, extending their unbeaten sequence across all competitions to six matches during which they have secured five wins.

With only FC Utrecht inflicting a loss on his team since late September, Schreuder will back his players to record a historic victory over the Amsterdam giants this weekend.

Never have NEC defeated Saturday’s opponents in consecutive league games since their first recorded meeting in the middle of the 20th century, a 79-year wait they strive to end.

Given the hosts’ four-match unbeaten run at home, where they have claimed 10 points during the ongoing run and 16 altogether from a possible 21, the Nijmegen club will hope to continue their prolific results at Goffertstadion at the expense of the 36-time Eredivisie champions.

Aiming to avoid losing their dominant record in this fixture, Ajax head to their in-form hosts in fine form themselves, even if their performances are typically far from convincing.

De Joden, admittedly, did not have such troubles in their midweek cup success at Excelsior Maassluis, whom they beat 7-2 to extend their winning streak under Grim to five on the trot.

Apart from the cup success against the third-tier club, though, Ajax have not looked convincing through their three league wins over Groningen (2-0), Fortuna Sittard (3-1) and Feyenoord (2-0), the latter of which saw Grim utilise a back five to stifle Robin van Persie’s team.

While they have benefitted from their opponents not scoring several promising chances, De Joden may not be as fortunate when they head to Nijmegen, where the hosts are averaging 3.0 goals per game, having scored 21 in seven matches at Goffertstadion.

With Ajax not keeping any clean sheet away from home this season, you would forgive partisan fans for believing in their team’s chances of halting the Jews’ winning streak and ending their 79-year wait for back-to-back wins in this fixture.

NEC Eredivisie form:

NEC form (all competitions):

Ajax Eredivisie form:

Ajax form (all competitions):

Team News

With no fresh injury situations to deal with, Bram Nuytinck (knee), Jasper Cillessen (knock) and Youssef El Kachati (wrist) remain the home team’s expected absentees.

In-form super sub Kento Shiogai has scored two match-winning goals for NEC, a joint-high with Dirk Proper, but the forward aims to add to his seven top-flight efforts.

Strikingly, though, only one of his seven goals has been in Nijmegen, where four of Koki Ogawa’s six efforts have been scored, and both men aim to play decisive roles this weekend.

Even though Kenneth Taylor’s status for Ajax is questionable, Steven Berghuis (groin) and Wout Weghorst (ankle) are sidelined, while Josip Sutalo and James McConnell have health issues to contend with.

With Grim’s team possibly without Weghorst’s six goals and one assist, the onus is on Mika Godts to add to his 12 direct involvements on Saturday.

Next in line is Oscar Gloukh, who has scored four and assisted five in the league this season, with one assist recorded in each of the last three Eredivisie games.

Fresh off scoring and assisting four against Excelsior, Rayane Bounida aims to exploit the home side’s attacking nature to catch the Nijmegen club off guard.

NEC possible starting lineup:

Crettaz; Dasa, Sandler, Fonville; Ouaissa, Nejasmic, Sano, Onal; Chery, Linssen; Ogawa

Ajax possible starting lineup:

Jaros; Gaaei, Bouman, Baas, Wijndal; Klassen, Itakura, Gloukh; Bounida, Dolberg, Godts

We say: NEC 3-1 Ajax

Ajax have conceded in every match away from home this season, and that pattern should continue against free-scoring NEC, whose goalscoring competence should overwhelm the Dutch heavyweights on Saturday.

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