Preview: PEC Zwolle vs. FC Utrecht - prediction, team news, lineups

After two games, neither side has picked up a point, with the hosts currently sitting in 14th place, while the visitors are bottom of the table.

Match preview

PEC Zwolle were one of two dominant teams in the Eerste Divisie last season, gaining automatic promotion after finishing in second place, 15 points clear of third-placed Almere City, but their start to life in the Eredivisie has not been ideal.

On the opening day of the season, the Bluefingers came up short at home against Sparta Rotterdam, with the visitors emerging as 2-1 winners, despite late pressure after a Lennart Thy effort offered the hosts a route back into the game.

Since then, Johnny Jansen's side have travelled to FC Twente, where they put in a much-improved performance, recording more shots on target than their opponents, but they were ultimately unable to take anything from the game.

Twente were too clinical for PEC Zwolle, scoring with all three of their shots on target to secure a 3-1 victory, but the performance itself should give Jansen's men some confidence they will be able to get something from this weekend's game.

On paper, it should be an easier game for the Bluefingers, given that they are coming up against another struggling side who are also yet to get a win on the board.

Indeed, FC Utrecht have also started the season very poorly, although their first game of the season was very difficult, losing 2-0 away at last season's KNVB Beker winners PSV Eindhoven, in a game where they never really looked like scoring.

The Cupfighters did look more threatening on the front foot at home against Heerenveen last time out, but they were unable to make their second-half pressure pay, with the visitors proving to be far more clinical, securing a 2-0 victory.

Michael Silberbauer's side are the only Eredivisie team without a goal so far this season, having failed to build on their strong end to the 2022-23 campaign, in which they won five of their final seven games to secure a seventh-placed finish.

Against newly-promoted opposition, however, FC Utrecht should fancy their chances of taking something from the game, especially considering they have only lost once in their last 18 matches against their upcoming opponents, drawing 1-1 in their most recent match at this ground.

PEC Zwolle Eredivisie form:

L

L

FC Utrecht Eredivisie form:

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Team News

PEC Zwolle have no injury concerns to deal with, and Jansen could stick with the same team that played against Twente, considering they put in a solid performance, even if they did not get the result to show for it.

Having scored his first goal of the season last time out, Ferdy Druijf is poised to lead the line, being supported by Younes Namli and Lennart Thy in what should be a 3-4-2-1 system.

Utrecht, on the other hand, do have a few players missing with injury, including Taylor Booth, who picked up an issue against PSV, meaning Marouan Azarkan is set to keep his place in the side in a right-wing role.

With Anthony Descotte also absent, Anastasios Douvikas is set to start at striker for the visitors, and the 24-year-old, who scored 20 Eredivisie goals last season, will be hoping to get off the mark.

PEC Zwolle possible starting lineup:

Schendelaar; Van Polen, Kersten, Van Hintum; Van Den Berg, Lam, Buurmeester, Reijnders; Namli, Thy, Druijf

FC Utrecht possible starting lineup:

Barkas; Ter Avest, Van Der Hoorn, Viergever, El Karouani; Bozdogan, Toornstra, Azarkan, Jensen, Seuntjens; Douvikas

We say: PEC Zwolle 1-1 FC Utrecht

Although PEC Zwolle lost away at FC Twente last time out, there were some promising signs, and they could have taken something from the game if they were a little more clinical.

FC Utrecht have not looked at their best so far this season, but given that they have a very good record against the Bluefingers, we are expecting a draw.

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