Feyenoord play host to Heracles on Wednesday evening with the opportunity to move into second position in the Eredivisie standings.
While the home side have put together a lengthy unbeaten streak in the top flight, the visitors have lost four of their six league fixtures.
Match preview
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With Ajax and PSV Eindhoven yet to perform to their best on the domestic scene this season, Arne Slot knows that there is a chance for his Feyenoord side to challenge for the title.
Even though Sunday's goalless draw at FC Twente came as a disappointment, it kept things ticking over for a team who trail the leaders by four points with a game in hand.
Feyenoord have also suffered just one defeat from 15 matches in all competitions, their current unbeaten streak lasting nine games since losing out to Vitesse on October 3.
De Trots van Zuid have not lost at De Kuip since a game with Ajax on May 9, and they will want to ensure that remains the case until they head into this season's corresponding fixture on December 19.
While Guus Til sits at the top of goalscoring charts with Bryan Linssen, the playmaker has netted just once in all competitions since the middle of October.
In sharp contrast to their hosts, Heracles have collected just four points from six matches, keeping them in danger of slipping into the relegation zone.
To their credit, one of those points came courtesy of a brilliant 0-0 draw at home to Ajax, a result followed up with a 3-1 triumph over rivals Fortuna Sittard.
Going down 1-0 to FC Utrecht courtesy of a last-minute own goal came as a huge blow, but the level of the performance gives Frank Wormuth every reason to be optimistic ahead of this contest.
Despite remaining as the club's leading marksman, Delano Burgzorg has not found the back of the net since October 2.
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Team News
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With Feyenoord having drawn a blank at the weekend, Arsenal loanee Reiss Nelson will feel that he should finally be handed his first league start of the season.
Cyriel Dessers is also pushing for a rare chance in attack, with Jens Toornstra and Linssen's places both at risk.
Wormuth could make several changes to his Heracles starting lineup, including bringing back defender Navajo Bakboord.
Orestis Kiomourtzoglou and Bilal Basacikoglu are also in contention to return in midfield.
However, Sinan Bakis will likely remain on the substitutes' bench.
Feyenoord possible starting lineup:
Marciano; Pedersen, Trauner, Senesi, Malacia; Aursnes, Kokcu; Nelson, Til, Sinisterra; Linssen
Heracles possible starting lineup:
Blaswich; Bakboord, Rente, Knoester, Quagliata; Schoofs, Kiomourtzoglou Torre; Azzaoui, Burgzorg; Sierhuis
We say: Feyenoord 2-1 Heracles
Given their heavy workload, it remains to be seen whether Feyenoord will last the pace heading into the winter months. Nevertheless, they should still have enough in the tank to edge past Heracles, even if the visitors do stay competitive in the game.
Top tip
Data Analysis
Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a Feyenoord win with a probability of 74.54%. A draw had a probability of 15.6% and a win for Heracles had a probability of 9.84%.
The most likely scoreline for a Feyenoord win was 2-0 with a probability of 11.47%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 3-0 (9.6%) and 2-1 (9.21%). The likeliest drawn scoreline was 1-1 (7.34%), while for a Heracles win it was 1-2 (2.95%). The actual scoreline of 2-1 was predicted with a 9.2% likelihood. Our team at Sports Mole correctly predicted a 2-1 win for Feyenoord in this match and our data analysis correctly predicted the win for Feyenoord.
