FC Twente can move a step closer to guaranteeing European football for next season with victory over Heerenveen on Wednesday night.
At a time when the visitors occupy third position in the Eredivisie standings, the home side are 11th and scraping for a spot in the Europa Conference League playoff.
Match preview
In another season, Twente may have been challenging for the Eredivisie title having averaged more than two points per game throughout the campaign, but the form of PSV Eindhoven, and even Feyenoord, has been far too consistent.
Nevertheless, it has still been a superb effort thus far, with a total of 17 wins coming from 27 matches to sit four points clear of fourth-placed AZ Alkmaar.
Six victories have been posted from their last nine fixtures, with their only two defeats suffered by 1-0 scorelines to FC Utrecht and PSV.
Aside from being edged out by the leaders, Twente have won their other four contests since February 25, although they needed to work hard to see off Heracles by a 1-0 scoreline at the weekend.
Joseph Oosting's side have only lost three of 13 away fixtures this season, yet their only two away wins since the second weekend in December have been against the current 16th and 17th-placed teams.
As far as Heerenveen are concerned, there points have been accumulated across three spurts of form, most notably four wins from five games in October and November.
A further three wins were posted from four fixtures during February and the start of March, yet Kees van Wonderen have since failed to prevail in any of their last three games.
There was frustration after blowing a 2-1 lead against Feyenoord before the international break, losing 3-2 in the closing stages, while Heerenveen were also held to a 1-1 draw at RKC Waalwijk on Saturday.
Twenty points have come from their 13 home fixtures this campaign, yet this is a team that have conceded a total of 50 goals from just 27 games.
Team News
Van Wonderen could be prepared to stick with the Heerenveen XI that started the draw at RKC Waalwijk.
Che Nunnely may return on the right flank ahead of Patrik Walemark, while there are currently no injury concerns for the home side.
Meanwhile, Youri Regeer could return at full-back for Twente after replacing Alfons Sampsted at half time against Heracles.
Myron Boadu will be assessed after being withdrawn shortly after his goal in that contest, Michel Vlap an option to feature on the left wing with Ricky van Wolfswinkel moving into a central role.
Defender Alec Van Hoorenbeeck will remain absent for this game.
Heerenveen possible starting lineup:
Hart; Braude, Van Beek, Bochniewicz, Kohlert; Haye, Olsson; Walemark, Tahiri, Sahraoui; Amersfoort
FC Twente possible starting lineup:
Unnerstall; Regeer, Bruns, Propper, Smal; Kjolo, Sadilek; Rots, Steijn, Wolfswinkel; Boadu
We say: Heerenveen 1-3 FC Twente
With Heerenveen being one of the division's more unpredictable sides, any result feels possible here. Nevertheless, with Twente having only lost to the leaders in their last five outings, we expect the visitors to come through this contest in style.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Darren Plant
