Two sides with contrasting ambitions for the remainder of the Eredivisie season will meet on Sunday afternoon when PEC Zwolle play host to FC Twente at MAC³PARK Stadion.
The hosts are in 14th place in the league standings with 30 points after 28 games, while the visitors are fifth with 47 points over the same period.
Match preview
© Imago
PEC Zwolle are aiming to survive a second straight season in the top flight, but they still have a little more work to do before they can breathe easy, with just six points separating them from the relegation playoff spot.
Blauwvingers enter this match following a very disappointing 2-2 draw against basement club Almere City last week, when they squandered a two-goal cushion in the space of nine minutes and were forced to settle for a share of the spoils.
While that result did take PEC to three matches unbeaten (W1 D2), they would likely have been hoping for more over the period, given that all three teams they faced were in the bottom four of the table at the start of that run of fixtures.
On a positive note, though, Johnny Jansen's side have experienced an improvement in their attacking output, with that last match marking the sixth time they scored two or more goals in their last 10 games.
Zwolle will now return to MAC³PARK Stadion, where they have performed well in recent times, winning two, drawing two and losing just once in their last five games, with that sole defeat coming at the hands of Ajax.
© Imago
Meanwhile, FC Twente's hopes of finishing in the top four are slipping through their grasp, as they are now six points behind Utrecht and have both AZ Alkmaar and Go Ahead Eagles breathing down their necks.
The Tukkers went into the March international break off the back of a thumping 6-2 defeat at home against Feyenoord, and returned from the break with a 2-1 loss to Heracles before drawing 1-1 with Fortuna Sittard last week.
Looking further back, Joseph Oosting's side have now won just three of their last 10 games, and those victories were against Almere City, RKC Waalwijk and NEC - three teams firmly in the relegation scrap.
While the visitors have got the better of this opponent in recent times, unbeaten in their last five encounters, they have not won an away game since the end of November, losing four and drawing three during that period.
Team News
© Imago
PEC Zwolle have two long-term absentees at present in Samir Lagsir and Tristan Gooijer, both of whom underwent surgery on their knees this season and will not return before the end of the campaign.
Dylan Vente is enjoying an impressive run of form in recent weeks, netting in five of his last six league games, and he will almost certainly lead the line this weekend for the hosts.
Twente also have two players ruled out for this match in Sam Lammers and Gerald Alders, while United States international Taylor Booth is flagged as a major doubt, owing to a muscle injury.
Sem Steijn is having the season of his life and netted his 23rd league goal this term last weekend against Fortuna, which took him nine clear of Troy Parrott in the leading-goal scorer standings.
PEC Zwolle possible starting lineup:
Schendelaar; Aertssen, Graves, McNulty, Floranus; El Azzouzi, Thomas; Krastev, Monteiro, Mbayo; Vente
FC Twente possible starting lineup:
Unnerstall; Van Rooij, Hilgers, Lagerbielke, Kuipers; Vlap, Sadilek; Rots, Steijn, Ltaief, Unuvar
We say: PEC Zwolle 2-2 FC Twente
Since the March international break, Twente have struggled to rediscover the type of form they showed earlier this season, and this is likely to be another testing outing against an opponent that is unbeaten in their last three games.
PEC Zwolle have only lost one of their last five home games, which included beating PSV and holding Utrecht to a draw, and we feel they will be able to take something from this one as well.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Devesh Jaganath
