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Sports Mole previews Sunday's Eredivisie clash between Sparta Rotterdam and Groningen, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

In a crucial match in the Eredivisie's relegation battle, Sparta Rotterdam will host Groningen at Sparta-Stadion Het Kasteel on Sunday.

De Kasteelheren come into the game with confidence after an important win last time out, while De FC will be looking to extend their unbeaten streak to three games.

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Match preview

Maurice Steijn's Sparta may be in a relegation battle, but they are in their best form since late August, having picked up five points from their last three league games.

De Kasteelheren followed up back-to-back draws with a dramatic 2-1 win on the road to European hopefuls AZ Alkmaar most recently, with midfielder Arno Verschueren scoring a 95th-minute winner after AZ equalised earlier in stoppage time.

However, Verschueren has since left the club to join FC Twente with Sparta in the relegation playoff spot, four points behind Groningen.

Shockingly, this weekend's hosts have failed to win any of their 10 league games at Sparta-Stadion Het Kasteel this term, losing five and drawing the remainder, including a crucial home clash against fellow strugglers Heracles earlier this month.

On Sunday, Steijn's side will be desperate to avoid falling even further from safety, though with their awful home record, it will take a standout performance to keep the teams above them in sight.

Meanwhile, Dick Lukkien's Groningen won this weekend's reverse fixture back in early November, taking all three points with a narrow 1-0 win shortly after opposition manager Steijn's appointment.

Currently, De FC are 14th in the table, having earned 21 points from their 20 games to date, and while they are four points from a potential drop into the second tier, they are by no means safe.

Last time out, Lukkien's side dropped points in a 1-1 draw away to Heracles, though they came from behind and did well to hold out considering they had centre-back Marco Rente sent off just beyond the hour mark.

On the road overall, Sunday's visitors are without a win since August when they beat RKC Waalwijk 2-1, and have since been on the receiving end of a number of thrashings including a 5-0 loss against PSV Eindhoven and a 6-0 drubbing at the hands of NEC Nijmegen.

This weekend, Groningen will be up against a side that have struggled at home throughout the campaign, and given their own poor away record, they are unlikely to get a better chance to take all three points in an away fixture this season.

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Team News

Arno Verschueren - Sparta's match winner against AZ last time out - has joined Twente, so expect Rick Meissen to line up with Camiel Neghli and Shunsuke Mito behind striker Tobias Lauritsen.

Elsewhere, Joshua Kitolano was withdrawn with a reported hamstring injury against AZ, and if he is unavailable for this weekend, Julian Baas could start alongside Carel Eiting at the base of midfield.

As for Groningen, they will be missing centre-back Marco Rente due to suspension, and first-choice left-back Marvin Peersman could be shifted across to be paired with central defender Thijmen Blokzijl, while Wouter Prins joins the XI on the left-hand side of the backline.

Further forward, a strike partnership of Brynjolfur Darri Willumson and Thijs Oosting will try to fire Lukkien's side to their first away win in more than five months.

Sparta Rotterdam possible starting lineup:
Olij; Bakari, Young, Eerdhuijzen, Van Aanholt; Baas, Eiting; Neghli, Meissen, Mito; Lauritsen

Groningen possible starting lineup:
Vaessen; Stam, Blokzijl, Peersman, Prins; Valente, Hove, Pelupessy, Schreuders; WIllumson, Oosting

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We say: Sparta Rotterdam 2-1 Groningen

Sparta have endured a difficult season at home and Groningen are particularly poor on the road, so expect a close game.

However, the hosts will be feeling confident after picking up an important three points last time out, and that could give them enough of an edge over the visitors to take all three points on Sunday.


For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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