Preview: SBV Excelsior vs. RKC Waalwijk - prediction, team news, lineups

The Wonder Oud papier-club are precariously situated above the relegation playoff place, while Joseph Oosting's side sit in ninth position in the Eredivisie standings.

Match preview

Excelsior are at risk of an immediate return to the second tier of Dutch football if results do not start to pick up between this weekend and the conclusion of the current campaign.

Situated only four points above the Eerste Divisie trapdoor, Marinus Dijkhuizen's side have struggled with the demands of top-flight football this season.

Excelsior have netted the third-joint lowest number of goals across the division - 20 - but have commenced a mini-revival in recent weeks with two victories across their last five matches.

Dijkhuizen's side have also been on the wrong end of double the number of defeats than victories in the first half of the 2022-23 Eredivisie campaign, leading to Saturday's hosts flirting with the prospect of relegation so early in the season.

The Kralingers Roodzwarten's trajectory towards the bottom three continued with a narrow 1-0 defeat to Utrecht on January 25 before being comprehensively swept aside by a previously out-of-form and managerless Ajax side 4-1 in front of their increasingly-concerned supporters last weekend.

Within the top half of the Eredivisie, Waalwijk are, however, situated closer to the relegation zone than the intensely competitive European qualification positions.

Joseph Oosting's side have registered only a solitary victory across their last nine away league matches; nonetheless, the visitors have put together the fifth-best home record across the division, accumulating 18 points from a possible 30 on offer.

Winless since their 3-2 success over Groningen on October 7, the southern Dutch-based outfit drew 0-0 with Sparta Rotterdam on January 24 but returned to winning ways with a 2-0 win over relegation-threatened Emmen four days later.

Waalwijk continued their rich vein of form on Wednesday with a victory over Go Ahead Eagles at the Mandemakers Stadion after second-half strikes from Michiel Kramer and Yassin Oukili cancelled out Jose Fontan's equalising goal for the visitors just before half time.

SBV Excelsior Eredivisie form:

L

W

L

W

L

L

RKC Waalwijk Eredivisie form:

L

D

L

D

W

W

RKC Waalwijk form (all competitions):

L

D

L

D

W

W

Team News

Excelsior manager Marinus Dijkhuizen could decide to make wholesale alterations to his starting XI following their defeat to Ajax.

Attacking midfielder Noah Naujoks could make his debut for the hosts on Saturday on the back of his signature on a three-year contract after departing fellow Eredivisie outfit Feyenoord.

Following his decision to cut his loan spell short at Utrecht to move to the Rotterdam-based outfit, French Under-19 international Arthur Zagre could make his first start for the hosts alongside the aforementioned Naujoks.

After witnessing his side emerge triumphant over Go Ahead Eagles, Waalwijk boss Joseph Oosting could name the same starting 11 that began the match at the Van Donge & De Roo Stadion.

With that being the most likely outcome, Michiel Kramer and Mats Seuntjens will again lead the line for the visitors.

SBV Excelsior possible starting lineup:

Van Gassel; Tjoe, El Yaakoubi, Nieuwpoort, Zagre; Fein, Baas; Naujoks, Goudmijn, Azarkan; Kharchouch

RKC Waalwijk possible starting lineup:

Vaessen; Lelieveld, Gaari, Adewoye, Van den Buijs, Lutonda; Oukili, Anita, Clement; Kramer, Seuntjens

We say: SBV Excelsior 1-2 RKC Waalwijk

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