Sports Mole previews Sunday’s Eredivisie clash between FC Utrecht and Ajax, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
FC Utrecht aim for consecutive Eredivisie wins over Ajax this weekend, as they host last season’s runners-up at Stadion Galgenwaard in Sunday’s week 12 fixture.
Since their four-game winning streak against the Amsterdam giants between October 2010 and February 2012, the Cupfighters have not achieved back-to-back victories in this fixture; they will seek to capitalise on the managerial upheaval at De Joden following Johnny Heitinga’s departure this week.
Match preview
Utrecht sit two places behind Ajax in the Eredivisie table, although they cannot leapfrog the Jews even with maximum points this weekend, as four points separate the two clubs.
Nevertheless, Utrecht aim to secure another home victory at Stadion Galgenwaard, where they have achieved consecutive wins over FC Volendam (3-1) and NEC (1-0), bringing their total to four wins and a draw from six matches in front of their supporters.
Only Feyenoord (15 points) have accumulated more home points than the Cupfighters’ 13, and the hosts seek a third consecutive victory in front of their supporters in gameweek 12.
Having last suffered a home defeat in mid-September, losing 1-0 to Groningen, Ron Jans‘s troops have earned seven points from the last nine available, and they are in good spirits ahead of Sunday’s visit from Ajax.
With last season’s corresponding fixture ending 4-0 in Utrecht’s favour, following a 2-2 draw in Amsterdam, the Domstedelingen aim to secure a third consecutive win over Ajax at Stadion Galgenwaard after October 2023’s 4-3 victory and April’s 4-0 thrashing.
It remains to be seen which Ajax version turns up this weekend, given Heitinga’s departure and the temporary appointment of interim coach Fred Grim.
The former centre-back was jettisoned after only 11 league games and four in Europe, winning five in the league and losing all four in the Champions League, most recently a 3-0 hammering by Victor Osimhen’s inspired hat-trick for Galatasaray.
That midweek loss to Galatasaray leaves Ajax bottom of the 36-team Champions League, having scored the fewest (one) and conceded the most (14), underlining the Amsterdam heavyweight’s struggles on the continent.
Back in the league on Sunday, Grim will strive to inspire an improved showing from last season’s runners-up before the final international break of 2025, aiming to prevent the fourth-placed visitors from falling further behind the table-topping pair of Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven, who they trail by eight points after 11 games.
Slip up again, and Groningen in fifth could leapfrog them, with only one point separating De Godenzonen and the side below Ajax in the table.
FC Utrecht Eredivisie form:
FC Utrecht form (all competitions):
Ajax Eredivisie form:
Ajax form (all competitions):
Team News
Although Utrecht have a relatively healthy squad, Jans will navigate Sunday’s match without Niklas Vesterlund (knee) and Victor Jensen (muscle).
Even though Jensen’s three league goals will be missed, three players have scored three times for them in the league: Gjivai Zechiel, Miguel Rodriguez and David Min, while Souffian El Karouani, Derry Murkin and Dani de Wit have scored two each.
Missing for the away side due to injury, Ajax could be without Steven Berghuis (groin), Kasper Dolberg (abdominal) and Branco van den Boomen (back).
While they all fired blanks in midweek, Wout Weghorst, Mika Godts and Oscar Gloukh have scored six, four and four goals respectively, highlighting their match-deciding qualities despite the away team’s struggles for results.
Godts and Kenneth Taylor have four and three assists respectively, but still behind Utrecht’s El Karouani, who has set up six goals for teammates entering gameweek 12.
FC Utrecht possible starting lineup:
Barkas; Horemans, Didden, Viergever, El Karouani; Engwanda, Zechiel, De Wit; Rodriguez, Haller, Blake
Ajax possible starting lineup:
Pasveer; Rosa, Itakura, Baas, Wijndal; Klaasen, Taylor; Moro, Gloukh, Godts; Weghorst
We say: FC Utrecht 2-1 Ajax
With managerial uncertainty in Amsterdam evident, Ajax are at risk of falling further behind in the title race this weekend.
Facing a strong opponent at Utrecht, De Godenzonen could record only their second league loss of the season as the Cupfighters aim for a third successive win at Stadion Galgenwaard.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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