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

Vitesse are aiming to maintain their position in the Europa Conference League playoff places, currently sitting in sixth and eight points clear of eighth-placed Groningen with a game in hand also to their advantage.

Meanwhile, RKC Waalwijk need to lift themselves away from the relegation zone, as they sit just two points ahead of 16th spot, and the two teams meet at the GelreDome on Sunday.

Match preview

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This weekend's hosts have to bounce back from disappointment in the Europa Conference League on Thursday, when Jose Mourinho's Roma side knocked the Dutch outfit out of the competition at the last-16 round.

Thomas Letsch's side are not in bad form, though, in the Eredivisie, having extended their unbeaten run to three games with a goalless draw last weekend.

That outing against Heracles was quite an even affair, with both teams seeing the same amount of possession and creating a similar amount of chances, but now with no European football to congest the final run in for Vitesse, they can fully focus on remaining in the top seven.

Vitesse have a significant gap between themselves and the chasing pack for the Europa Conference League places, but they should not become complacent and need to collect three points against a side at the wrong end of the division.

Letsch's side have actually been better off away from home this campaign, having conceded six more goals in one less game on their own patch, but Sunday presents an opportunity to entertain their own crowd and return to winning ways after a couple of draws.

Waalwijk were also involved in a 0-0 draw last weekend, when they welcomed Heerenveen to the Mandemakers Stadion, where they missed an opportunity to leapfrog their visitors in the table.

Joseph Oosting will be looking for his side to be more creative in the final third this time around, after not registering a single shot on target in that goalless draw.

Despite finding the back of the net six more times during their away matches this campaign, Waalwijk have only managed one win on their travels, which does not bode well for the visitors this weekend.

Six of their remaining eight Eredivisie fixtures are against teams currently in the top half of the table, potentially giving them a harder run in than the teams around them also fighting to survive.

Vitesse were the side to just edge three points in the reverse fixture in September, when goals from Danilho Doekhi and Yann Gboho sealed a 2-1 win for this weekend's hosts.

Team News

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Goalkeeper Eric Verstappen remains sidelined for Vitesse due to injury, with Markus Schubert expected to come back into the side after Jeroen Houwen started between the posts on Thursday against Roma.

Letsch opted to set his side up in a 4-3-1-2 formation in the Europa Conference League, but he is expected to name a side in a 3-4-2-1 shape with Adrian Grbic solely leading the line.

Right wing-back Eliazer Dasa is likely to come back into the team in place of youngster Gyan de Regt, who started in the Eredivisie last time out.

Waalwijk wing-back Jurien Gaari will be forced to miss out this weekend through suspension after picking up his fifth yellow card of the campaign last time out, with Said Bakari potentially coming into the side in Gaari's absence.

Sebbe Augustijns, David Min and Alexander Buttner are all doubtful ahead of Sunday, and the trio are likely to miss out with Oosting expected to name a similar line up to last weekend.

Vitesse possible starting lineup:
Schubert; Hajek, Rasmussen, Oroz; Wittek, Domgjoni, Tronstad, Dasa; Baden, Buitink; Grbic

RKC Waalwijk possible starting lineup:
Vaessen; Wouters, Touba, Meulensteen, Adewoye, Bakari; Van der Venne, Anita, Bouchataoui; Kramer, Odegaard

We say: Vitesse 2-1 RKC Waalwijk

Despite being knocked out of the Europa Conference League, Vitesse earned a draw with Roma on Thursday and were only undone by a late equaliser, showing that they have the quality to beat top opposition, it just was not to be on that day.

Vitesse are in better form than Waalwijk and in a superior position in the table, which suggests that the hosts are favourites for three points this weekend.

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