FC Twentevs.Heracles

Match preview

Following stalemates against Manchester United and Fenerbahce in their opening two Europa League group-stage involvements, Twente suffered a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Serie A outfit Lazio in Thursday's meeting.

Joseph Oosting's men were up against it from the moment goalkeeper Lars Unnerstall received his marching orders early on, after which goals in either half from Pedro and Gustav Isaksen settled a largely one-sided affair.

This came off the back of a 2-2 draw against RKC Waalwijk in the Tukkers' most recent league outing, where they were minutes away from a shock defeat before Carel Eiting restored parity in stoppage time.

Since picking up back-to-back victories against Heerenveen and Almere City in September, Twente have managed just four points from the next available nine in the league and currently sit sixth in the Eredivisie table.

Sunday's hosts will now set out in search of a much-needed return to winning ways, and their record against this weekend's opponents certainly makes for good reading with no defeats from the most recent six meetings dating back to 2021.

Heracles were a tad unlucky to come away empty-handed from arguably the most entertaining game of the season so far as they fell to a 4-3 defeat in Sunday's seven-goal thriller at the Asito Stadium.

Two goals from Luka Kulenovic either side of a Mario Engels strike cancelled out goals from Davy Klaassen, Bertrand Traore and Wout Weghorst to leave the game finely poised heading into its final 14 minutes during which Weghorst grabbed the winner.

After conceding nine goals in their first seven league outings this term, Erwin van de Looi's men have shipped eight goals in the last two matches and are unsurprisingly without a point to their name in that time.

Having amassed nine points from as many league matches so far, Heracles are just one point ahead of the drop zone ahead of Sunday's trip to Enschede and will be keen to pull clear of relegation danger with a victory.

Should they manage to do so, this weekend's visitors will record only their third victory in 11 matches on the road since late April and a second straight triumph away from home for the first time in over a year.

FC Twente Eredivisie form:

D

W

W

W

L

D

FC Twente form (all competitions):

D

W

D

L

D

L

Heracles Eredivisie form:

L

D

W

W

L

L

Team News

Morocco international Younes Taha remains ruled out with a broken Tibia and is not expected back in contention for FC Twente before the close of the year.

Michal Sadilek is also unavailable for the home side due to a laceration as Daan Rots continues to nurse a groin injury he picked up against Feyenoord earlier this month.

With 10 direct goal contributions—eight goals and two assists—to his name in nine league matches so far, Sem Steijn is definitely one to keep an eye on this weekend.

Brian De Keersmaecker and Sem Scheperman will not play any part for Heracles here, with the former serving a one-game suspension for his red card against Ajax, while the latter is down with a knee problem.

Following his double against in the aforementioned game, summer arrival Luka Kulenovic has now found the back of the net four times in his opening six matches for the away side.

FC Twente possible starting lineup:

Unnerstall; Salah-Eddine, Bruns, Hilgers, Van Rooy; Vlap, Regeer; Van Bergen, Steijn, Van Wolfswinkel; Lammers

Heracles possible starting lineup:

De Keijzer; Benita, Mirani, Mesik, Roosken; Zamburek, Van Kaam; Podgoreanu, Engels, Zand; Kulenovic

We say: FC Twente 2-0 Heracles

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