Cambuur face a very tough test in the Eredivisie on Sunday afternoon when they play host to Ajax at the Cambuur Stadion.
The hosts are 17th in the league table, having picked up just 12 points from their 19 games up to this point, while the visitors are up in fourth place, still in with a shout of winning the title.
Match preview
Cambuur have failed to build on a very solid ninth-placed finish in the Eredivisie last season, now sitting four points from safety, only above bottom-of-the-table Groningen on goal difference.
The Yellow-Blues' record in front of goal has been particularly disappointing, scoring on just 11 occasions in the Eredivisie so far this season, the fewest of any side in the Dutch top flight.
Since the season has resumed after the Qatar World Cup, Sjors Ultee's side have scored just twice in six games across all competitions, although one of these goals came in a very important 1-0 win away at Groningen.
That victory is Cambuur's only win in their last 11 league games, a run stretching back to the beginning of October, when they remarkably managed to defeat PSV Eindhoven 3-0 at the Cambuur Stadion, and a performance of that standard will be required again on Sunday.
The win against PSV is the only time Cambuur have picked up any points from a home game this season, losing 2-1 to Fortuna Sittard last time out as a result of late goals from Burak Yilmaz and Inigo Cordoba.
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Ajax's title defence was going very well in the first half of the season, but they have developed a habit of drawing too many games recently, meaning that they are now five points off top-of-the-table Feyenoord.
In their last seven league matches, John Heitinga's side have drawn on six occasions, with two of these coming against relegation-threatened sides in FC Volendam and FC Emmen, which will be of particular concern for the manager.
The side from Amsterdam have struggled to get over the line in home matches, but they still have the second-best away record in the division, having picked up 21 points from the 10 games they have played on their travels.
In their last match, Heitinga's side got back to winning ways with a 4-1 win away at Excelsior, in what was a very dominant performance, and they will know that they are capable of the same against Cambuur.
In the reverse fixture, Ajax were resounding 4-0 winners, courtesy of a brace from Steven Bergwijn and second-half goals from Devyne Rensch and Mohammed Kudus.
Team News
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Cambuur will have to make do without attacking midfielder Robin Maulun on Sunday, as the 26-year-old has an injury issue, so Roberts Uldrikis is expected to keep his place in the starting lineup.
Maxim Gullit and Mimoun Mahi are making progress in their returns from injury, but they will both not be involved again on Sunday, with the latter arriving on loan from FC Utrecht in January.
Ajax do not have any fresh injury concerns to deal with, but Youri Baas, Florian Grillitsch and Ahmetcan Kaplan will all continue to miss out.
Bergwijn and Brian Brobbey are the joint-top scorers for Heitinga's side in the Eredivisie this season, both weighing in with eight goals, but the latter was benched in the 4-1 win at Excelsior, and Kudus is instead expected to lead the line.
Cambuur possible starting lineup:
Ruiter; Schmidt, Bergsma, Smand, Bangura; Van Kaam, Paulissen, Hoedemakers; Van Der Water, Breij, Uldrikis
Ajax possible starting lineup:
Rulli; Rensch, Alvarez, Timber, Wijndal; Berghuis, Taylor, Klaassen; Tadic, Bergwijn, Kudus
We say: Cambuur 0-3 Ajax
Ajax got back to winning ways with an emphatic 4-1 win in their last match, and they should have no trouble prevailing by a similar scoreline against relegation-threatened Cambuur.
With PSV Eindhoven and Feyenoord squaring off this weekend, Heitinga's side have a fantastic opportunity to make up some ground on the teams above them, and we expect them to make the most of it, running out resounding winners.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
