FC Volendam (home)
- FC Utrecht are 10th in the Eredivisie, 9 points above Volendam in 17th, with 23 points from 17 games vs Volendam’s 14 from 18.
- Kruys’ men have had a mixed home record in Eredivisie so far this season, losing 3, drawing 3 and winning 3.
- They have scored 1.56 goals per game at Kras Stadion and conceded 1.33 per game.
FC Utrecht (away)
- Utrecht have won 1, drawn 2 and lost 2 of their last 5;
- Utrecht have avoided defeat in their last 3 away (won 1, drawn 2).
- FC Utrecht have won just 1, drawn 3 and lost 4 of 8 on the road in the top division, conceding 14 goals.
Head-to-Head
- Ron Jans’ FC Utrecht are a far more attacking team than Volendam, who prefer to defend in numbers and be counter-attacking and disruptive.
- Utrecht play at a higher tempo and pressure the ball much more than Volendam, who sit deep and press situationally, using their numbers and structure to suffocate opponents in the latter stages of the game.
- This will be a test of possession vs pressure in many respects, with Jans’ men preferring a 4-3-3 formation and using their full-backs and wingers to stretch the play, while FC Volendam line up in either a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, getting men behind the ball and creating a compact block.
- Utrecht have won 3 of the last 5 meetings, including a 3-1 win at home two months ago.
Key Players
- Henk Veerman is Volendam’s best goal-scorer with 4 goals in 18 Eredivisie appearances.
- Gjivai Zechiel is the main goal threat for Utrecht with 4 in 17 Eredivisie games, but it is Souffian El Karouani that has made all the difference to their attacking play with a league-high 9 assists in just 16 appearances.
Betting Insights
Betting on ‘Over 2.5 goals’ is recommended at 1.8 as both teams are likely to give it their all and Utrecht have the quality to score a few.
Prediction
- FC Utrecht should win this game on paper as they have a much better head-to-head record than their opponents and far superior attacking quality.
- However, Volendam will make it difficult for them at home and can make this a competitive game by hitting the visitors on the counter attack.
- Utrecht are clear favourites with the bookies at 1.81, while Volendam are 4.2 outsiders.
