Preview: FC Twente vs. Ajax - prediction, team news, lineups

In their last outing, Twente were held to a 1-1 draw by FC Groningen, while Ajax enjoyed a comprehensive 5-0 thrashing of Cambuur in their previous fixture.

Match preview

The home side will feel that they may have the advantage in this affair due to it being a knockout cup game, as they come into this fixture without a loss in their previous 12 matches in all competitions.

Although in their last fixture, Twente were unable to find a finishing touch to defeat Groningen, which has left them without a win in three games after drawing against Feyenoord and Vitesse in the two games beforehand.

It has been Twente's tight defensive record that has seen them climb to the heights of fifth in the Eredivisie table this season, as they currently hold the best defensive record in the division with 10 clean sheets and a league-best 13 goals conceded so far.

However, their strong defensive record has begun to show vulnerability in recent games, as they have conceded four goals in their previous three affairs and have conceded in each of those matches.

This will be the second time that Twente will go head to head with the Eredivisie champions this year, after being unable to capitalise on an early red card and subsequently being held to a 0-0 draw with Ajax in January.

Ajax, meanwhile, will come into this cup tie with confidence beginning to build again after scoring nine goals in their last two matches, thrashing both Excelsior and Cambuur in goal-gluttonous affairs.

In their most recent victory against Cambuur, Serbian forward Dusan Tadic opened the scoring for Ajax before Steven Berghuis put the result beyond their opponents after scoring a brace, but it was the young Dutch forward Brian Brobbey who then began to inflict the embarrassment on their opponents as he came off the bench to score himself a brace, leaving the final result 5-0.

It is a marked upturn from the scarcely-seen seven-match winless league run which preceded those back-to-back triumphs, a spell which included six successive draws and ultimately cost Alfred Schreuder his job, with Johnny Heitinga now in interim charge.

The ability to finish off chances has served Ajax well so far this season, as they reign supreme on the goalscoring statistics in the Eredivisie having dispatched 56 goals so far.

It is Ajax who have the historical advantage across recent encounters with the Twente, as they have not been defeated by their opponents since 2020 when they were narrowly defeated 2-1 by a Queensy Menig brace.

Unlike their previous encounter where Ajax suffered an early red card, they will be expected to dominate the main proportion of possession in this affair and will attempt to craft opportunities through ball retention and continuously sustained attacks.

Dusan Tadic will be Ajax's key man to success in this matchup, as the 34-year-old's ability to link up play, score goals and create opportunities will be vital for Ajax to break down Twente's stubborn defence.

FC Twente KNVB Beker form:

FC Twente form (all competitions):

W

D

W

D

D

D

Ajax KNVB Beker form:

Ajax form (all competitions):

D

D

D

D

W

W

Team News

Ron Jans is expected to start a full-strength side against Ajax due to the strength of the opposition that his side will face in this matchup.

This incorporates two changes to the side that drew against Groningen in their last outing, with Mathias Kjolo expected to replace Michal Sadilek in midfield after sustaining an injury in the first half on Sunday.

Sem Steijn is also expected to drop out of the side, with Michel Vlap coming back into the starting XI in the midfield.

Ajax are set to remain with the side that devastatingly blew away Cambuur in their most recent fixture.

Dusan Tadic is expected to continue to lead the line despite Brian Brobbey's impressive cameo off the bench on the weekend due to the nature of the last two results with Tadic occupying that role.

Mohammed Kudus and Steven Bergwijn will operate in the wide channels on either side of Tadic in a front three.

FC Twente possible starting lineup:

Unnerstall; Brenet, Hilgers, Propper, Smal; Zerrouki, Vlap, Kjolo; Cerny, Wolfswinkel, Misidjan

Ajax possible starting lineup:

Rulli; Rensch, Alvarez, Timber, Wijndal; Klaasen, Taylor, Berghuis; Kudus, Tadic, Bergwijn

We say: FC Twente 0-2 Ajax

Twente will be a threat to Ajax in this affair and have the ability to knock their visitors out of the KNVB Cup on Thursday.

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