Groningenvs.Utrecht

Match preview

After finishing seventh last season, Utrecht have kicked off the current campaign on a high as they target a return to continental football for the first time since their group-stage exit in the 2010-2011 Europa League.

Ron Jans's men got the ball rolling with a narrow 1-0 victory over PEC Zwolle but were held to a 1-1 stalemate in their subsequent outing against Heerenveen before embarking on a five-game winning streak.

The most recent of those triumphs came at the expense of RKC Waalwijk last time out as goals from Nick Viergever, Paxten Aaronson and David Min got the job done for De Domstedelingen, who had earlier gone behind to Denilho Cleonise's opener.

Dropping just two points across their seven matches so far, Utrecht find themselves sitting second in the Eredivisie table, five points behind defending champions and leaders PSV Eindhoven with a game in hand.

Despite their near-perfect start to the season, any talk of a title challenge from Utrecht remains premature, with the immediate focus currently on pulling away from the likes of Ajax and Feyenoord, who are yet to hit full speed this term.

Sunday's visitors will follow this weekend's affair with a home encounter against Feyenoord, and victory in the next two matches will certainly have some fans bullish of their side's chances of securing a first ever Eredivisie title.

Retuning to the top flight after a one-year absence, Groningen made a bright start to the season after going unbeaten and picking up nine points from their first five matches, but things have since taken a wrong turn.

Following a 3-1 defeat to Ajax last time out, Dick Lukkien's men were beaten for the third game running and are now winless in six straight league games since back-to-back wins over NAC Breda and RKC Waalwijk in August.

Trots van het Noorden looked set to come away with a point last time out after cancelling out Davy Klaassen's opener through a Jorg Schreuders equaliser before stoppage-time goals from Wout Weghorst and Chuba Akpom settled matters.

Groningen's late capitulation against Ajax was in keeping with their recent displays which have seen them concede in the final 20 minutes of four consecutive matches and a total of five goals in that time.

Now just two points clear of the drop zone heading into Sunday's affair, the home side could really do with a return to winning ways in front of their fans where they are without a victory dating back to August's curtain-raiser.

Groningen Eredivisie form:

D

D

D

L

L

L

FC Utrecht Eredivisie form:

D

W

W

W

W

W

Team News

Zidane Iqbal sustained an injury while on international duty during the September break and is yet to make a full recovery, ruling him out for Utrecht here.

Niklas Vesterlund and Kevin Gadellaa are also unavailable for the away side through knee injuries, but Silas Andersen is back available after recovering from a knock.

Midfielders Alonzo Engwanda and Taylor Booth miss out with muscle problems this weekend, although both men are drawing increasingly closer to returning to action.

After three games on the sidelines, Marco Rente played the full 90 minutes against Ajax last time out and is expected to retain his place in Groningen's lineup for this one.

However, Tika de Jonge remains unavailable for the home side for a sixth game on the bounce as the 21-year-old continues to nurse an injury he sustained against Almere City in late August.

Groningen possible starting lineup:

Vaessen; Prins, Blokzijl, Rente, Bacuna; Schreuders, Hove, Resink, Mendes; Van Bergen, Postema

FC Utrecht possible starting lineup:

Barkas; Horemans, Van der Hoorn, Viergever, El Karouani; Aaronson, Fraulo; Romeny, Jensen, Cathline; Min

We say: Groningen 1-2 FC Utrecht

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