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

Looking to stop a woeful run of six consecutive league defeats, VVV-Venlo play host to Fortuna Sittard at De Koel on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the visitors are in search of a league double over their hosts following a 3-2 win in January's reverse fixture.

Match preview

VVV-Venlo could not put an end to their losing streak as they were defeated 1-0 by Sparta Rotterdam on Tuesday which saw them slip further into relegation danger.

One goal proved to be enough as Kristopher da Graca's 70th-minute strike condemned Hans de Koning's men to yet another loss.

The Yellow Black Army will now be looking anxiously over their shoulder with 16th-placed Willem II bearing down on them following a recent upturn in form.

Sunday's opponents were level on points prior to their most recent meeting, but the hosts have now fallen nine points behind their visitors.

However, Venlo are unbeaten in the last seven meetings between the teams on their own turf, and they will be confident of keeping it that way.

Fortuna were beaten for the second league game on the bounce as they succumbed to a 3-1 home defeat to PSV Eindhoven on Sunday.

Sjors Ultee's men barely laid a glove on their visitors in what was an underwhelming display at both ends of the pitch.

Despite dropping down to 11th place on the log, the Fortunezen are still in a relatively comfortable position considering the fact that they narrowly survived relegation in the last campaign.

Sunday's visitors have not enjoyed recent trips to De Koel, where they are yet to win on any of their last seven visits.

Team News

Tristan Dekker is a long way off making his return to action as he continues to nurse a muscle tear, and he will miss the clash.

Anastasios Donis has not featured for the home side since pulling his hamstring in February's cup tie versus NEC Nijmegen, but he is getting close to a return to action.

Zinedine Machach remains on the sidelines after he was forced off with a knee problem earlier in the month against Vitesse.

Fortuna's first-choice goalkeeper Yanick van Osch was in goal last time out as he made his comeback from a shoulder problem.

Van Osch was the only absentee for Sunday's visitors in the last game, so his return means that they have a clean bill of health for this one.

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

Fortuna Sittard possible starting lineup:
Van Osch; Cox, Tirpan, Angha, Rota; Hansson, Rienstra, Tekie, Semedo; Seuntjens, Flemming

We say: VVV-Venlo 1-2 Fortuna Sittard

The home team are on a bad run of form at the moment, but the visitors are not in good form either. However, we expect Fortuna Sittard to further compound VVV's woes by handing them a seventh consecutive league loss.