Ajax vs. NEC Nijmegen - prediction, team news, lineups

Winless against NEC for 2 years, Ajax instrumentality to Eredivisie enactment connected Saturday successful matchday eight, looking to flooded Dick Schreuder’s team.

The Amsterdam giants were held to a 2-2 gully by SBV Excelsior earlier the planetary break, portion their Nijmegen visitors volition person welcomed the hiatus arsenic an accidental to regroup aft an underwhelming commencement to 2026-27.

Match preview

Ajax’s continued nonaccomplishment to support cleanable sheets has travel backmost to wound them, arsenic they could lone gully against Excelsior earlier the three-week break.

Michel’s men attempted 33 shots to the Rotterdam outfit’s four, but De Joden conceded from 2 of the visitors’ efforts connected a frustrating evening astatine the Johan Cruyff Arena.

De Godenzonen are backmost connected location ungraded 3 weeks aft failing to person much than 2 of their 33 attempts against Excelsior, and they volition anticipation to exploit NEC’s below-par commencement to the run to perchance emergence to 2nd if they triumph and Feyenoord, PSV Eindhoven and FC Twente each driblet points.

While that result appears improbable successful the aforesaid gameweek, Michel’s men volition stay focused connected beating the Nijmegen outfit aft going 3 matches without a triumph against them since a 2-1 occurrence successful December 2024.

Since that success, Ajax person suffered a 3-0 decision and been held to a 1-1 gully successful the different gathering successful Amsterdam, a disappointing series against a broadside they had beaten successful 5 of the erstwhile 7 encounters portion drafting the different two.

Even though they caput into this play having mislaid conscionable erstwhile to NEC successful 32 meetings, Ajax’s ongoing three-match winless tally is the longest specified series since the Nijmegen outfit recorded 3 draws from December 2006 to January 2008.

NEC volition beryllium hoping to widen their unbeaten tally against Ajax connected Saturday, adjacent if they indispensable nutrient a importantly amended show than the ones they delivered earlier the break.

Schreuder’s broadside commendably played retired a 1-1 gully with Go Ahead Eagles past clip out, a effect that followed a disappointing 5-0 hammering by Juventus connected their Europa League bow, with a 3-0 decision to promoted Cambuur preceding that continental setback.

As such, the intermission was timely for NEC, who person won conscionable 3 of their 12 matches successful each competitions this season, with 2 of those victories coming successful the Eredivisie and leaving them 11th successful the table.

That presumption volition worsen if their nonaccomplishment to support cleanable sheets is not offset by their forwards uncovering signifier successful the attacking third, fixed that Schreuder employs an attack that has seen his squad concede astir arsenic galore goals arsenic they person scored.

Ajax Eredivisie form:

Ajax signifier (all competitions):

NEC Eredivisie form:

NEC signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Kasper Dolberg suffered a superior genu wounded during Denmark training, each but ruling the guardant retired for the remainder of the season, which represents a important stroke for the 29-year-old aft helium scored 2 goals and provided 3 assists successful his erstwhile 3 Eredivisie appearances.

Also absent for the hosts are Daley Blind (back), Simon Adingra (foot) and Aaron Bowman, who remains sidelined aft sustaining a superior wounded against PSV Eindhoven successful De Topper; Caio Henrique is understood to beryllium carrying a sound and volition beryllium assessed earlier Saturday.

Tolu Arokodare is apt to pb the onslaught successful Dolberg’s absence, giving the Nigerian a wide tally astatine the No. 9 relation for the foreseeable future.

NEC’s cardinal attackers person truthful acold disappointed this season, with Tjaronn Chery failing to adhd to his 3 league goals aft 3 consecutive blanks, Bryan Linssen scoring conscionable erstwhile and Dusan Tadic providing lone 1 assistance successful six appearances.

Schreuder’s squad are battling a big of wounded problems, with Gonzalo Crettaz (hamstring), Deveron Fonville (ankle), Ahmetcan Kaplan (knee), Bryan Nuytinck (ankle) and Emre Mor (groin) ruled out, portion Clement Bischoff (hamstring) and Kevin Kers are touch-and-go for matchday eight.

Ajax imaginable starting lineup:

Ter Stegen; Gaaei, Kehrer, Baas, Wijndal; Klaassen, Mokio, Brandt; Berghuis, Arokodare, Gloukh

NEC imaginable starting lineup:

Polster; Bras, Schuurs, Storm; Tahaui, Nejasmic, Lebreton, Thomas; Chery, Tadic; Linssen

We say: Ajax 2-1 NEC

Ajax’s persistent antiaircraft vulnerability means that different cleanable expanse is unlikely, but their accidental instauration against Excelsior suggests that scoring should not beryllium an contented astatine the different end.

NEC’s mediocre signifier and extended wounded database could yet beryllium decisive, truthful we are backing the Amsterdam giants to extremity their three-match winless tally successful this fixture.

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