Preview: VVV-Venlo vs. Groningen - prediction, team news, lineups

After a two-week hiatus, VVV-Venlo and Groningen get gameweek 28 of the Eredivisie season underway with their meeting at De Koel on Saturday.

Both teams were in bad form leading up to the international break, and they will be looking to turn their fortunes around as the season enters its final knockings.

Match preview

VVV-Venlo were beaten for the eighth league game in a row as they lost 2-1 to PEC Zwolle at the MAC³PARK Stadion two Sundays ago.

Slobodan Tedic gave Zwolle the lead midway through the second half, but Roy Gelmi levelled matters three minutes later before Thomas Lam decided the game from 12 yards.

Despite suffering defeat in his first game since taking over from Hans de Koning, Jos Luhukay would have seen some encouraging signs as his side were unlucky not to come away with a point.

However, The Yellow Black Army have slipped into the bottom three following their most recent loss, and with only seven games left to play, they are in a tearing hurry to save themselves from relegation.

Groningen failed to win away from home for the fifth game running as they succumbed to a 3-1 loss versus RKC Waalwijk two Saturdays ago.

A brace from Thijs Oosting inside the opening 15 minutes gave Waalwijk a two-goal lead which Ahmed El Messaoudi halved before half time, but Sylla Sow came off the bench to score the clincher with four minutes of regulation time remaining.

Danny Buijs's men remain in sixth place, five points behind Feyenoord in fifth, and just three points ahead of Utrecht, who have a game in hand.

The Green-White Army have struggled in front of goal of late, so it is no surprise that they have picked up only five of the last 15 available points.

Saturday's visitors were triumphant in October's reverse fixture, but are yet to win any of their last five away games at the hosts.

Team News

Zinedine Machach remains on the sidelines after he hobbled off with a knee problem last month in a game against Vitesse.

Christos Donis has missed his side's last two matches due to a muscle injury, and he is ruled out once again for this weekend's fixture.

Meritan Shabani is expected to sit the game out as he continues to nurse a groin problem, through which he missed the loss to Zwolle last time out.

For the fourth consecutive game, Groningen will be without their leading goalscorer as Jorgen Strand Larsen continues to battle with a knock.

Ramon-Pascal Lundqvist was subbed off after just 27 minutes in the away side's draw against Emmen, and he has not featured since.

VVV-Venlo possible starting lineup:
Kirschbaum; Guwara, Da Graca, Gelmi, Pachonik; Linthorst, Janssen, Post; John, Giakoumakis, Hunte

Groningen possible starting lineup:
Padt; Van Hintum, Itakura, Te Wierik, Dankerlui; Schreck, Van Kaam; Suslov, El Hankouri, Da Cruz; Joosten

We say: VVV-Venlo 1-2 Groningen

A game between two struggling sides is always a fantastic opportunity for either of them to arrest their slump in form. We are backing Groningen to do that in this one, and inflict a ninth consecutive league defeat on VVV.