Eredivisie leaders Ajax will be looking to bounce back from last weekend's big loss when they take on Sparta Rotterdam at the Johan Cruijff ArenA on Sunday afternoon.
While the hosts have been excellent this season and are the front-runners in the race for the league title, they are now set to face one of the most in-form teams in the top flight.
Match preview
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With PSV securing a convincing three points away to Twente on Thursday night, Ajax will see this as a must-win fixture in order to maintain daylight over the defending champions, who are now six points behind them.
However, doing so will require de Godenzonen to produce a better performance than they managed last week when they suffered their third defeat of the season, going down 4-0 on the road to Utrecht.
Not only did that loss bring an end to Ajax's 14-match unbeaten run in the top flight, but it was also the biggest margin of defeat they have conceded in the Eredivisie since they were thumped by Feyenoord 6-0 at the start of May last year.
However, history suggests that Francesco Farioli's side should fare better in this match, as they are unbeaten in their last 17 league games against this opponent, and won the reverse fixture 2-0 back in December.
Additionally, the Johan Cruijff ArenA has been a fortress this season, with the hosts having won 12 of their 14 matches on home soil (D2), while scoring two or more goals in all but two of those games.
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Meanwhile, at the halfway point of the season, Sparta Rotterdam looked as though they would struggle to avoid the drop, as they were languishing in the bottom three and had only won three of their first 17 games.
However, Maurice Steijn has orchestrated a stunning turnaround for his new employers, and over the last five gameweeks, only PSV (12) and Feyenoord (15) have earned more points than his side (11).
Last weekend, De Kasteelheren took down top-half opponent Heerenveen 3-1 at home, which extended their unbeaten run to six, while they are now just one point off qualifying for Europe, with the Eredivisie likely to earn nine European spots following Go Ahead Eagles' KNVB Cup triumph.
The visitors have also improved on the road of late, taking seven points from their last five away games, and if they avoid defeat this weekend, it would mark the first time they have gone three away games without a loss since their first three league outings of the season.
Team News
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Ajax will have to make do without the services of Jordan Henderson this weekend, with the Englishman forced to serve a one-match ban after receiving his fifth yellow card of the season last week against Utrecht.
The hosts will also be missing at least three players due to injury, including Youri Baas (groin), Branco van den Boomen (muscle) and long-term absentee Amourricho Van Axel-Dongen (ankle).
For the visitors, Shunsuke Mito was left out of the squad for their victory against Heerenveen last week due to an unspecified injury, and it is unclear if the Japanese forward will be available for this match.
Jonathan de Guzman, who is set to retire at the end of the campaign, returned to the bench last week but was an unused substitute, and he is unlikely to get into the starting lineup, having only played 35 minutes for the team this season.
Ajax possible starting lineup:
Lima; Gaaei, Sutalo, Kaplan, Hato; Klaassen, Mokio, Taylor; Godts, Brobbey, Berghuis
Sparta Rotterdam possible starting lineup:
Olij; Bakari, Young, Eerdhuijzen, Van Aanholt; Hlynsson, Zechiel, Eiting; Van Bergen, Lauritsen, Ideho
We say: Ajax 2-1 Sparta Rotterdam
While Sparta have been the most improved team in the Eredivisie over the last couple of months, Ajax have been incredible on their home patch all season, and we feel the hosts will add another win to their exceptional record this weekend.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Devesh Jaganath
