Heerenveen host Feyenoord in the Eredivisie on Wednesday evening as both sides look to bounce back from disappointing defeats last time out.
Johnny Jansen's side are without a win in 11 top-flight matches, while the visitors have lost back-to-back games in recent weeks for the first time this season.
Match preview
A 1-0 loss to Heracles on Saturday saw Heerenveen slip to ninth position in the Eredivisie table, having picked up 22 points from their opening 18 league games.
The Abe Lenstra Stadion outfit got off to a flying start in the current campaign, winning their first three games of the season, but only two victories have followed since, piling the pressure on Jansen.
It is in attack where De Superfriezen have struggled throughout 2020-21. They have failed to score more than one goal in 10 of their last 11 league outings, making three points incredibly hard to come by.
Their fast start to the season means Jansen's men are comfortably above the relegation playoff place, although the board will be desperate to see a significant upturn in results and performance sooner rather than later.
Feyenoord looked as though they had an outside shot at securing their first top-flight title since 2017 until consecutive defeats to title rivals Ajax and AZ Alkmaar in their last two encounters appeared to end any dreams of being crowned champions come May.
Dick Advocaat's men have the third-best defence in the country, having conceded just 16 league goals in 18 league games to date, but it is in attack where their problems lie.
De club aan de Maas have found the back of the net on just 34 occasions throughout 2020-21, almost half the total of Ajax's 60 goals.
After falling nine points behind their bitter rivals, securing a European spot will now be the priority for Feyenoord, and a win in midweek would get them back on track to achieving just that.
Heerenveen Eredivisie form: LLLDDL
Heerenveen form (all competitions): LLDDWL
Feyenoord Eredivisie form: LWWWLL
Feyenoord form (all competitions): WWWLWL
Team News
Nineteen-year-old winger Ulysses Llanez is the only absentee for Heerenveen after the teenager picked up a knock earlier in the month.
That means Benjamin Nygren may get another chance to impress in midweek after the forward made his first start in four games over the weekend.
Attacking midfielder Joao Carlos Teixeira is a long-term absentee for Advocaat after the 28-year-old fractured his fibula in December.
He is joined on the treatment table by Justin Bijlow, Orkun Kokcu and Nicolai Jorgensen who are suffering from injuries, which means they will play no part on Wednesday.
Heerenveen possible starting lineup:
Mulder; Woudenberg, Bochniewicz, Dresevic, Floranus; Veerman, De Jong, Halilovic; Van Der Heide, Veerman, Van Bergen
Feyenoord possible starting lineup:
Marsman; Geertruida, Spajic, Senesi, Malacia; Toornstra, Fer, Diemers; Berghuis, Jorgensen, Linssen
We say: Heerenveen 1-3 Feyenoord
Feyenoord will want to address their recent form as quickly as possible and will be viewing this game as the perfect opportunity to do just that. Advocaat's men should have too much quality for their hosts and run out comfortable winners.
