Sunday in the Eredivisie brings us an important matchday 21 fixture, with Go Ahead Eagles playing host to fellow top-half opponents FC Twente at De Adelaarshorst.
This is a significant match in the race for European qualification, with the hosts currently in seventh place on 31 points, just three points behind their opponents in fifth.
Match preview
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Go Ahead Eagles have carried their solid end-of-year form into 2025, and they will enter this weekend's league fixtures carrying a five-match win streak across all competitions, and unbeaten in seven.
Indeed, Kowet are enjoying a progressive season under Paul Simonis, currently riding the longest active unbeaten run in the division, while they are well on course to surpass their 43-point tally from last term.
During this unbeaten run, the pride of the IJssel have racked up four wins in five league games, with the exception being a 3-3 draw on the road to high-flyers Utrecht, while they also booked their spot in the quarter-final of the KNVB Beker.
Notably, though, while Simonis's side beat their upcoming opponent in the last round of the domestic cup, their last league defeat was at De Grolsch Veste, where they lost 3-2 in the reverse fixture at the start of December.
Still, the hosts will have confidence in their chances of extending their impressive run of results this week, having won their last four home games, while scoring two or more goals in each of their last five.
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Meanwhile, Twente will also come into this match with their tails up after pulling off clutch back-to-back wins over Malmo and Besiktas in the final two rounds of the League Phase in the Europe League.
Those results were just about enough to keep their European dreams alive, as they ended the group stage with 10 points and as the second team above the cutoff, earning them a playoff round tie against Bodo/Glimt.
However, the Tukkers will be hoping to carry their continental competition form back to their domestic campaign, where they have lost three of their last five games, which is a notable downturn after losing just one of their preceding 10 in the top flight.
The major contributor to the visitors' inconsistent league form of late has been their away record, having lost each of their last three matches on the road, conceding nine goals in that period while only scoring twice.
Team News
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Go Ahead Eagles have just one confirmed absentee for this match in the form of Finn Stokkers, who sustained an injury mid-way through December and is only expected to return to the squad in the second half of February.
Jakob Breum and Oliver Valaker Edvardsen have both been in fine form of late, scoring in four of their last five league games, and they will almost certainly lineup in attack alongside Victor Edvardsen.
The visitors, on the other hand, have two players currently sidelined with injuries in Sam Lammers and Younes Taha - the attacking duo are slated to return to first-team training later this month.
Sem Steijn is enjoying a remarkable season for the Tukkers, now on 15 goals after netting a hat-trick against Willem II on January 12, which took him four clear of Ricardo Pepi in the leading goal scorer standings.
Go Ahead Eagles possible starting lineup:
De Busser; Deijl, Nauber, Kramer, James; Linthorst, Llansana; Breum, O Edvardsen, Antman; V Edvardsen
FC Twente possible starting lineup:
Unnerstall; Van Rooij, Lagerbielke, Van Hoorenbeeck, Salah-Eddine; Kjolo, Sadilek; Rots, Steijn, Vlap; Van Wolfswinkel
We say: Go Ahead Eagles 2-2 FC Twente
Go Ahead Eagles have been in great shape lately, and while they have lost each of their last three league games against this opponent, we feel that they will be able to take at least a share of the spoils from this one given the impressive run of form they are in.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Devesh Jaganath
