Bottom-of-the-table FC Volendam welcome Heracles Almelo to the Kras Stadion in the Eredivisie on Saturday.

The hosts remain the only side in the Dutch top flight who are yet to get off the mark, with four defeats from four so far.

Match preview

After Robert Muhren got Volendam off to the perfect start on the opening day, a red card to the side's main goal threat saw them eventually go down 2-1 to Vitesse.

Two heavy defeats at Go Ahead Eagles and Fortuna Sittard as well as a 2-0 loss at home to Twente followed, leaving Volendam on zero points still.

Muhren returned last weekend for the trip to Sittard, and even though he could not help turn the tide, over the course of the season he could be the difference maker in this Volendam team.

Scoring just five goals last season was due to lingering injury problems, but after scoring 64 league goals in two seasons with Cambuur, Muhren netted another 29 in his debut campaign with Volendam in 2021-22.

Rediscovering that form would certainly help the club survive as comfortably as they did last season, finishing eight points clear of trouble.

A daunting week awaits though, as Matthias Kohler takes his side to Ajax on Wednesday and PSV Eindhoven on Saturday.

Eerste Divisie champions Heracles have made a very positive return to the top flight.

An opening day loss to Ajax was quickly forgotten about, thanks to back-to-back wins over NEC Nijmegen and Excelsior in Almelo.

A 3-1 defeat to Utrecht last weekend was the first real low point of their campaign so far, though.

This fixture is the first of two quick-fire away matches that Heracles will have, as their rescheduled trip to AZ Alkmaar will come next Thursday.

Scoring 103 goals on their way to the second-tier title last season suggests that Heracles may cause most sides some problems going forward, and they have scored in all four games so far, as well as taking the lead at Ajax.

Team News

After only being able to name eight substitutes instead of the permitted 12 last weekend, Volendam manager Kohler will hope he can recall a few players from injury ahead of this clash.

Oskar Buur, Achraf Douiri and Koen Blommestijn all remain doubtful and are likely to miss out again.

Heracles will still be without Nikolai Laursen, the man who fired 16 league goals in last season's successful campaign.

Emil Hansson was the big star of the side though and is one to watch after contributing to 34 goals in the Eerste Divisie, and he has a goal and two assists already this time around.

However, the visitors will also be without Jizz Hornkamp, who is recovering from an ankle injury.

FC Volendam possible starting lineup:
Backhaus; Plat, Mirani, Benamar, Payne; De Haan, Twigt, Zeefuik; Ould-Chikh, Muhren, Kuol

Heracles possible starting lineup:
Brouwer; Bakboord, Sonnenberg, Hoogma, Willems; Engels, De Keersmaecker, Ouahim; Limbombe, Sankoh, Hansson

We say: FC Volendam 0-2 Heracles

Volendam are struggling and have been outclassed in their previous three games and could find it tough again against a side showing great form in attack.

Heracles will look to bounce back after a disappointing result against Utrecht and will not want to be the first side to drop points against Volendam this season.


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