Preview: Emmen vs. Feyenoord - prediction, team news, lineups

However, the stakes are high for the home side, who sit in 16th position in the standings and need to better Excelsior's results over the next two matches to avoid a relegation playoff.

Match preview

While Feyenoord have been a continual threat in Dutch football, no-one associated with the club could have envisaged the manner in which they have blitzed the title race this season.

Last weekend's 3-0 victory over Go Ahead Eagles established an eight-point lead over PSV Eindhoven with two games left, ensuring that Arne Slot's side became champions in style.

Feyenoord have remarkably put together a 12-match winning streak in the Dutch top flight, the resurgence of PSV coming far too late to trouble them for the title.

Slot appears increasingly likely to make the switch to Tottenham Hotspur over the summer, reward for delivering a European final and league crown in two incredible years at De Kuip.

Regardless of whether he stays or goes, the 44-year-old will want to end this season in style, extending a run on their travels where they have suffered just one defeat in 16 games.

Although it will be party time in the away end, Emmen are facing their biggest game of the season, aware that defeat could leave them facing a relegation playoff.

With a trip to FC Utrecht to come next weekend, securing the minimum of a point that they require feels like an unlikely task, yet Dick Lukkien knows that his players are capable of halting poor runs of form with surprise wins.

Emmen ended a four-game winless streak by beating PSV Eindhoven earlier in the campaign, and a thrilling 3-2 triumph over Heerenveen came as recently as April 22.

Nevertheless, it remains to be seen whether they are capable of shaking off conceding eight goals in two matches versus FC Twente and AZ Alkmaar, and a total of 13 strikes have been shipped in four games.

Emmen Eredivisie form:

W

D

L

W

L

L

Feyenoord Eredivisie form:

W

W

W

W

W

W

Feyenoord form (all competitions):

W

W

L

W

W

W

Team News

After conceding five first-half goals to AZ, Lukkien will make changes to his Emmen XI, potentially introducing the trio of players that helped their side win the second 45 minutes.

Jari Vlak and Lucas Bernadou appear most likely to get the nod, with Mohamed Bouchouari and Ahmed El Messaoudi in line to drop out of the team.

In respect of the relegation scrap, Slot will name a strong Feyenoord starting lineup, even if a number of alterations are made.

Javairo Dilrosun and Danilo will be hopeful of opportunities in the final third, as will Alireza Jahanbakhsh.

Jacob Rasmussen may also be handed a start in central defence having not featured since the middle of March.

Emmen possible starting lineup:

Hart; Veendrop, Te Wierik, Araujo, Dirksen; Vlak, Bernadou; Romeny, Diemers, Antonisse; Zivkovic

Feyenoord possible starting lineup:

Bijlow; Pedersen, Geertruida, Rasmussen, Hartman; Wieffer, Kokcu; Jahanbakhsh, Szymanski, Dilrosun; Danilo

We say: Emmen 1-4 Feyenoord

Although Emmen will feel that they have a window of opportunity to shock the champions, their defensive record means that it remains unlikely. Feyenoord will want to finish the season with as many points as possible, and we are backing the visitors to cruise to victory on Sunday afternoon.

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