Preview: NEC vs Heracles - prediction, team news, lineups

NEC Nijmegen will host Heracles Almelo at the Goffertstadion on Saturday in an Eredivisie fixture of growing importance at both ends of the table as the Dutch top flight enters a decisive phase, pitting one of the league’s most in-form attacking sides against visitors struggling to arrest a poor run away from home.

The match offers the home side a chance to further push for an automatic UEFA Champions League spot, while the Heraclians arrive under mounting pressure to tighten up defensively and reduce the gap to teams around them in the standings.

Match preview

NEC go into Saturday’s Eredivisie encounter in an impressive league position, sitting third on 38 points with a game in hand, having established themselves as one of the most entertaining sides in the Netherlands this season largely due to their prolific attacking output.

Dick Schreuder’s side rank among the top three teams for goals scored this campaign, netting 52 times in 20 matches, and that attacking emphasis has fuelled a remarkable run of consistency that has seen them unbeaten in nine Eredivisie games and 12 in all competitions, winning 10 of those matches and currently enjoying a five-game winning streak.

Their recent form further underlines their confidence, with NEC following victories over PEC Zwolle and NAC Breda and a 2-2 draw with Ajax by defeating AZ Alkmaar 3-1 away from home on January 31.

The nature of their performances has also stood out, as aside from Wednesday’s narrow 1-0 KNVB Beker win over Volendam, all of Nijmegen’s last ten matches have seen both teams score and feature at least three goals.

Historically, NEC have enjoyed a competitive edge over Heracles in recent seasons, having won the reverse fixture 4-1 earlier in the campaign and boasting a record of 34 wins, 16 draws and 24 defeats from the 74 meetings between the sides.

© Iconsport / ANP

Heracles Almelo head to Nijmegen under considerably more strain, with their Eredivisie season characterised by inconsistency and defensive frailty after losing a league-high 14 of their 21 matches to leave them 16th in the relegation play-off position.

Statistically, Ernest Faber’s team rank among the bottom three in the division for average possession at just 43.4 percent, a lack of control that has often forced them into reactive defending, contributed to a negative goal difference and been compounded by an away record that shows no wins in 10 of their last 11 league trips.

Recent results highlight the scale of their challenge, as although they halted a five-game losing run in all competitions with a 2-1 win over Fortuna Sittard, defeats away to Feyenoord, FC Twente and Sparta Rotterdam, along with a heavy loss to Heerenveen before the winter break, have seen them concede at least twice in four of their last five league matches.

Their defensive issues are particularly stark on the road, where they have managed just one league win all season while conceding close to three goals per away game on average, a vulnerability that often forces them to chase matches and could prove costly against an NEC side that thrives in open, high-tempo contests.

Despite those struggles, Heraclieden have won three of their last six meetings with NEC and can draw confidence from a 2-1 Eredivisie victory at the Goffertstadion in September 2024.

NEC Eredivisie form:

NEC form (all competitions):

Heracles Eredivisie form:

Heracles form (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago

NEC remain without Freek Entius and Bram Nuytinck, who have yet to feature this season due to knee injuries and will again miss out this weekend.

Nijmegen’s leading scorers Koki Ogawa and Kento Shiogai, both on seven goals, will fancy their chances against what has been the Eredivisie’s weakest defence this season.

For Heracles, Sem Scheperman and Jeff Reine-Adelaide continue to miss out through injury, while centre-back Damon Mirani, who has scored three times this term, is one booking away from suspension.

Faber may opt to stick with an unchanged starting XI following the win over Heracles with Adjin Hrustic and Alec van Hoorenbeeck both on target.

NEC possible starting lineup:

Crettaz; Dasa, Kaplan, Fonville; Ouaissa, Nejasmic, Sano, Onal; Chery, Lebreton; Linssen

Heracles possible starting lineup:

Pasveer; Hoorenbeeck, Mesik, Wierik; Benita, Mirani, Van der Kust, Hrustic; Ould-Chikh, Unuvar; Zeefuik

We say: NEC 3-1 Heracles

NEC are one of the form sides in the league and sit just one point outside the automatic Champions League places, making Schreuder’s men clear favourites to collect maximum points.

Although Heracles ended a lengthy winless run with victory last weekend, we expect the hosts’ attacking quality to prove decisive in a comfortable home win with goals at both ends.

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