Two teams currently on an upward trajectory go head-to-head at De Adelaarshorst on Sunday as Go Ahead Eagles entertain the challenge of Heracles in round eight of the 2024-25 Eredivisie season.
The home side will be looking to pick up a third victory in four matches this weekend, while their visitors go in search of win number three on the bounce.
Match preview
After a shaky start to the campaign, which saw them win just one of six games across all competitions, Go Ahead Eagles have turned things around with two wins and a draw from the subsequent three outings.
Courtesy of Oliver Edvardsen's 75th-minute strike, Paul Simonis's men inflicted a second straight defeat on Groningen when the teams went head-to-head at Euroborg last time out.
The pride of the IJssel Kowet also recorded only their second clean sheet in the aforementioned game—a much-needed defensive boost off the back of nine goals conceded in six matches.
Currently sitting ninth in the Eredivisie table, Go Ahead Eagles will now set out to continue their surge up the standings against an opposing outfit who have managed just one victory from the last five meetings.
However, that solitary win did come in the most recent encounter back in March, as Sunday's hosts fell to a 2-0 defeat against the visitors, having won the earlier meeting 4-0 in October.
Like Go Ahead Eagles, Heracles also endured a torrid start to the campaign and were without a victory until September 21, when they claimed a 2-1 triumph at the expense of NEC.
Fresh from recording a much-needed win, Rogier Meijer's men edged out Heerenveen in front of their fans last time out, with Mario Engels grabbing the decisive strike three minutes from the end of regulation time.
Having picked up seven of the last nine points available, the Heraclieden's recent resurgence has seen them move up to 11th, outside the top half only on goal difference ahead of this weekend's trip to Deventer.
With games against Ajax and FC Twente to come after the upcoming hiatus, Heracles will be keen to keep their momentum going with all three points this weekend before international duty takes centre stage.
Team News
Go Ahead Eagles' Dean James is set to miss a fourth straight game due to a thigh problem he sustained at the start of September against reigning champions PSV Eindhoven.
Robbin Weijenberg's involvement for the home side this weekend currently hangs in the balance as the 19-year-old continues to step up his recovery from a knock.
Midfielders Jan Zamburek and Sem Scheperman are both ruled out of contention for Heracles as they continue to battle with respective knee problems.
Sava-Arangel Cestic and Diego van Oorschot also miss out through injury, but Jannes Wieckhoff is available for selection once again after recently returning to the bench.
Danish winger Nikolai Laursen is still facing an extended spell out of action for the visitors, having sustained a torn cruciate ligament earlier this year.
Go Ahead Eagles possible starting lineup:
Plogmann; Adelgaard, Kramer, Nauber, Deijl; Llansana, Linthorst; Antman, Breum, Adekanye; Edvardsen
Heracles possible starting lineup:
De Keijzer; Benita, Mirani, Mesik, Roosken; De Keersmaecker, Van Kaam; Podgoreanu, Engels, Zand; Kulenovic
We say: Go Ahead Eagles 1-0 Heracles
There is little to choose between the teams leading up to this one, and Sunday's clash could easily swing either way.
That said, we just about tip Go Ahead Eagles to make home advantage count and narrowly edge out their visitors.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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