Go Ahead Eagles head into Friday's encounter with Fortuna Sittard looking for the win that would all but secure a top-nine finish in the Eredivisie standings.
Meanwhile, with survival in the top flight having been mathematically guaranteed, Sittard are bidding to end the season in the top 10.
Match preview
There will be disappointment within the Go Ahead Eagles ranks that they have not managed to maintain their push for the top five when Ajax are still struggling for form.
Prevailing in just one of their last seven games has come at the wrong time, Rene Hake's side now sitting seven points adrift of fifth-placed Ajax with three matches remaining.
However, Feyenoord's success in the KNVB Beker has extended the race for European spots by a place, leaving Go Ahead Eagles a win away from sealing a place in the Europa Conference League playoffs.
With their only victory since March 8 coming against lowly Excelsior, Hake will not be getting carried away, but getting back on track here would kick-start their run-in.
On a negative note, the visitors have prevailed in just four of their 15 away fixtures this campaign, as well as not winning any of their most recent four.
Opponents Fortuna Sittard are in very similar form, the home side having also won just one of their last seven encounters in the top flight.
Since the return after the international break, though, just one point has been accumulated from a possible 15, albeit that draw coming against sixth-placed NEC Nijmegen.
Losing competitive games against FC Twente and Feyenoord were expected, yet Danny Buijs's side would lose 3-2 to Vitesse - a club that recently received an 18-point penalty - last time out.
Success on Friday would take Sittard to within four points of their ninth-placed opponents with two games remaining, although they do play host to soon-to-be-crowned champions PSV Eindhoven next time out.
Team News
While Buijs is expected to persist with a 5-4-1 formation, there could be changes in personnel after the defeat at Vitesse.
Loreintz Rosier could be recalled in the centre of the pitch ahead of Alen Halilovic, while Alessio Da Cruz and Kristoffer Peterson are both options in creative roles.
Michael Verrips, Dimitrios Siovas, Oguzhan Ozyakup and Arianit Ferati are all sidelined through injury.
Having pushed Feyenoord in their last outing, Hake may be against making many alterations to his Go Ahead Eagles side.
Enric Llansana is an option to return in midfield, while Victor Edvardsen could be preferred to Thibo Baeten down the centre of the attack.
Fortuna Sittard possible starting lineup:
Koopmans; Markelo, Fofana, Guth, Voet, Dijks; Lonwijk, Duarte, Rosier, Cordoba; Sierhuis
Go Ahead Eagles possible starting lineup:
Lange; Deijl, Nauber, Kramer, Kuipers; Linthorst, Llansana; Adekanye, Willumsson, O. Edvardsen; V. Edvardsen
We say: Fortuna Sittard 1-2 Go Ahead Eagles
With both teams on poor runs of form, this is a difficult match to predict. Sittard will be pleased to play with a level of freedom and can still gatecrash the top nine, yet we feel that the visitors will battle their way to a much-needed success on away territory.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Darren Plant
