Preview:RKC Waalwijk vs. Groningen - prediction, team news, lineups

RKC Waalwijk and Groningen draw the curtain on round 31 of the 2021-22 Eredivisie season with a meeting at the Mandemakers Stadium on Sunday.

The hosts are seeking to pick up a first victory in five outings while their visitors set out to avoid a third consecutive defeat.

Match preview

Groningen fell to an agonising 1-0 loss at the hands of Heracles when the teams squared up against each other on Sunday.

Nikolai Laursen broke the deadlock just shy of the midway point of the first half to sink Danny Buijs's men at the Hitachi Capital Mobility Stadion.

While the Pride of the North remain eighth in the Eredivisie table, their hope of continental qualification is now in serious jeopardy with just four games left to play.

Awaiting Groningen next is a trip to an opposing ground where they have failed to win any of their last five matches since 2009.

However, Sunday's visitors are unbeaten in five of their last six games on the road - three of which have come against teams in the current top seven.

Waalwijk were beaten 2-0 for the second game running as PEC Zwolle emerged victorious in Sunday's contest between the teams.

Goals in either half from Thomas van den Belt and Bram van Polen put Joseph Oosting's men to the sword.

As a result, RKC have been sucked into a frenetic battle for survival with only two points now separating them from the drop zone.

Sunday's hosts, who have scored the joint second-fewest number of goals on home turf, will need to up at ante at the attacking end of the pitch if they are to secure a first home triumph since January.

Team News

Nineteen-year-old Tomas Suslov will sit out Sunday's contest through a thigh injury which has seen him miss the last three games.

Goalkeeper Jan Hoekstra is not expected to feature again this term after picking up a season-ending shoulder injury earlier in the year.

Meanwhile, Radinio Balker still awaits his first outing of the current campaign due to a cruciate ligament injury.

Waalwijk will be without the services of Dario van den Buijs, who is currently recuperating from a shoulder injury.

Sebbe Augustijns remains a long-term absentee due to a fractured fibula, and the 23-year-old is joined on the sidelines by David Min.

RKC Waalwijk possible starting lineup:

Vaessen; Adewoye, Meulensteen, Touba; Bakari, Azhil, Anita, Buttner; Van der Venne, Stokkers, Odgaard

Groningen possible starting lineup:

Leeuwenburgh; Dankerlui, Te Wierik, Van Hintum, Meijer; Bogarde, Duarte; El Hankouri, De Leeuw, Irandust; Larsen

We say: RKC Waalwijk 1-0 Groningen

There is little to choose between the sides, and we expect a close contest. That said, the onus is more on the hosts to pull further clear of relegation danger with all three points in this one, and we fancy them to get the job done.