Preview: Ajax vs. Heerenveen - prediction, team news, lineups

On the other hand, the away side make the journey to Amsterdam aiming to preserve their fine start to the 2022/23 season which has yielded five unbeaten games so far.

Match preview

Ajax kicked off their UEFA Champions League campaign with a resounding 4-0 victory over Scottish giants Rangers on Wednesday evening.

First-half goals from Edson Alvarez, Steven Berghuis and Mohammed Kudus put Alfred Schreuder's men in cruise control before Steven Bergwijn put the final nail in the coffin.

Prior to that, de Godenzonen saw off the threat of Cambuur courtesy of a 4-0 triumph on Saturday and remain top of the Eredivisie after the first five match days.

Awaiting them next is the challenge of facing off against an opposing outfit who have lost each of the last six meetings between the teams since 2020.

With a tantalising clash against Liverpool to follow three days later, Saturday's hosts will be aiming to keep the juggernaut rolling on with a seventh straight win across all competitions.

Heerenveen failed to pick up a third triumph on the bounce as they were held to a goalless stalemate against NEC Nijmegen on Sunday.

Despite playing the last 28 minutes of the game with 10 men, Kees van Wonderen's men held on to secure a hard-fought point at the Abe Lenstra Stadion.

De Superfriezen remain sixth in the league standings but are one of only four teams yet to taste defeat in the Dutch top-flight this term.

Having let in just one goal in five matches so far, Saturday's visitors now prepare for what is arguable set to be the biggest test of their defensive mettle.

Ajax Eredivisie form:

Ajax form (all competitions):

Heerenveen Eredivisie form:

Heerenveen form (all competitions):

Team News

Having hurt himself in the process of scoring the clincher against Rangers, Steven Bergwijn is a doubt for Ajax in this weekend's clash.

Mohammed Kudus put on a show in the aforementioned game and the Ghana international is expected to retain his place in the starting XI here.

Owen Wijndal and Mohammed Ihattaren are both unavailable for this one, but the former is drawing increasingly closer to making his return to action.

Tibor Halilovic was shown a straight red card in the draw against NEC and the 27-year-old is ineligible to take part for Heerenveen in this one.

Simon Olsson is the favourite to replace Halilovic in the lineup for what would only be his first starting appearance since joining from Elfsborg.

Ajax possible starting lineup:

Pasveer; Resnch, Timber, Bassey, Blind; Berghuis, Alvarez, Taylor; Tadic, Bergwijn, Kudus

Heerenveen possible starting lineup:

Noppert; Kohlert, Van Aken, Bochniewicz, Van Beek, Van Ewijk; Haye, Tahiri, Olsson; Sarr, Van Hooijdonk

We say: Ajax 4-0 Heerenveen

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