Preview: AZ Alkmaar vs. Sparta Rotterdam - prediction, team news, lineups

The hosts are one of three teams who have won all of their league matches so far, while an impressive start from Sparta leaves them just a point off the top of the table.

Match preview

AZ Alkmaar are currently seven games unbeaten across all competitions at the start of the 2023-24 term, with the Eredivisie and the Europa Conference League yet to throw up any major obstacles for Pascal Jansen's men.

A brace from Evangelos Pavlidis just prior to the campaign's first international break saw AZ win 2-0 at Vitesse, extending De Kaasboeren's winning streak to three in the Dutch top flight.

Trips to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Poland and England await in the group stage of the Europa Conference League over the next few months, but AZ must focus their minds on a home clash this weekend with Sparta Rotterdam - a side Alkmaar have failed to best in their last three attempts.

Due to superior goal difference over PSV Eindhoven and FC Twente, Sunday's hosts sit top of the league standings having earned a maximum collection of points from their opening trio of fixtures.

Yukinari Sugawara provided eight assists in the 2022-23 term from a full-back position - the Japan international had never managed more than three in any previous season of his career to date.

Sparta Rotterdam joined champions Feyenoord as the only teams to possess a four-game unbeaten run at the beginning of the new season after sharing the spoils with NEC just before the international break.

Dirk Proper's second-half opener for the visitors at Sparta-Stadion Het Kasteel threatened to hand the Sparta their maiden loss of the Eredivisie campaign, but a late Joshua Kitolano penalty earned the hosts that day a point.

Jeroen Rijsdijk's men are currently fifth in the top-flight standings after collecting eight points from their opening four matches, although a trip to AZ on Sunday afternoon could represent their hardest test to date.

After two prolific campaigns in the Dutch second tier, Charles-Andreas Brym is making the step-up to Eredivisie football having netted two goals in four games so far - both of those strikes came in the draw with Feyenoord on August 20.

AZ Alkmaar Eredivisie form:

AZ Alkmaar form (all competitions):

W

W

W

D

W

W

Sparta Rotterdam Eredivisie form:

Advert - content below:

Team News

AZ Alkmaar are currently light in their goalkeeping department due to the absences of Sem Westerveld and Rome Owusu-Oduro, but Australia international Mathew Ryan continues to be the hosts' first choice in between the sticks.

Former Stoke City favourite Bruno Martins Indi has not featured for Jansen's side since September 2022 due to a serious hip injury - the 31-year-old racked up 137 appearances for the Potters before sealing a switch back to his homeland in October 2020.

Sparta Rotterdam are set to be without the services of Mike Eerdhuijzen for the trip to AZ on Sunday, with the 23-year-old still yet to feature since the ECL Playoff defeat to Twente in June.

Pelle Clement impressed during his 30-minute cameo against NEC last time out, meaning the midfielder could replace Jonathan de Guzman in the visitors' engine room for this one.

AZ Alkmaar possible starting lineup:

Ryan; Sugawara, Bazoer, Penetra, Wolfe; Mijnans, Clasie, Poku, De Wit, Van Brederode; Pavlidis

Sparta Rotterdam possible starting lineup:

Olij; Bakari, Vriends, Velthuis, Warmerdam; Kitolano, De Guzman, Neghli, Verschueren, Saito; Lauritsen

We say: AZ Alkmaar 1-0 Sparta Rotterdam

AZ have commenced the 2023-24 term superbly in the Eredivisie and on the continent, and Jansen's charges will be confident of making it four successive wins in the league on Sunday.

Previews by email