Sports Mole previews Sunday's Eredivisie clash between AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
AZ Alkmaar, unbeaten in the Eredivisie this season, take on unblemished Feyenoord in Sunday's gameweek six clash, seeking to break De Stadionclub's winning streak.
However, such a result at AFAS Stadion will require the Alkmaar hosts to end a seven-match losing run in this fixture dating back three years.
Match preview
AZ have not suffered a defeat in the Eredivisie this season, and their last setback in any competition occurred two months ago in a Conference League qualifying match.
Since that 4-3 loss to Ilves, the Cheese Farmers have achieved eight victories and drawn once -- a surprising 2-2 result at promoted FC Volendam in mid-August.
Since that 2-2 draw, Maarten Martens's team has recorded four wins across all competitions, placing them fourth in the Eredivisie on 10 points from four matches.
Winning their outstanding game could see the Alkmaar side move just two points behind early-season leaders Feyenoord.
Like their opponents, AZ have aimed to keep matches tight, relying on their defence to stay watertight and secure results across multiple competitions.
Indeed, Martens will need his side's intelligence if De Kaasboeren are to end a miserable seven-match losing streak in this fixture since beating the Rotterdam outfit in February 2022.
Feyenoord responded to losing two in three at the time by dominating their hosts from Alkmaar, though level-headed fans will point to five of those wins being by a one-goal margin, including last season's 3-2 and 1-0 victories.
Nonetheless, Robin van Persie's team will back themselves if they manage to take the lead on Sunday, considering De Stadionclub's defensive resilience this season, which has seen the top-placed side concede just once in five matches, that goal coming in mid-August's Rotterdam derby win over SBV Excelsior.
That 2-1 victory followed Feyenoord's 5-2 defeat by Fenerbahçe, and the Stadium Club responded to that by securing four consecutive Eredivisie wins to move ahead of PSV Eindhoven as the league leaders.
However, the Rotterdam giants will be aware of how precarious their position at the summit is, with a defeat to AZ and a PSV win over Ajax potentially dropping them to second on goal difference.
Having already gone on a seven-match winning streak after Van Persie's appointment in February -- from mid-March to early May -- the Stadium Club are two wins short of matching that sequence, but they must now defeat a side they have beaten in their last seven encounters to be within one more victory of reaching that milestone under their current head coach.
AZ Alkmaar Eredivisie form:
W
D
W
W
AZ Alkmaar form (all competitions):
W
D
W
W
W
W
Feyenoord Eredivisie form:
W
W
W
W
W
Feyenoord form (all competitions):
W
L
W
W
W
W
Team News
AZ could be without Seiya Maikuma due to his knee injury, while Troy Parrott is expected to be sidelined with a similar problem until October.
Kees Smit and Jordy Clasie have been the Alkmaar-based club's leading creators this season, and the pair aim to add to their 12 and 10 chances created respectively this weekend.
Gernot Trauner (Achilles), Jordan Lotomba, Thomas Beelen (leg), Hwang In-beom, Jakub Moder (back) and Shiloh 't Zand (knee) are all unlikely to start due to various injuries.
Ayase Ueda scored his fifth league goal in the 2-0 win over Fortuna Sittard, lifting him to the top of the scoring charts, and the top-scoring forward will back himself to add to his growing tally.
While Ueda's form in front of goal has made the headlines, Sem Steijn is having an impressive start this season, scoring twice and creating 11 chances, four of which have been clear-cut opportunities.
AZ Alkmaar possible starting lineup:
Owusu-Oduro; Kasius, Penetra, Goes, Wit; Clasie, Smit; Patati, Mijnans, Daal; Meerdink
Feyenoord possible starting lineup:
Wellenreuther; Read, Ahmedhodzic, Watanabe, Smal; Valente, Timber; Slory, Steijn, Sauer; Ueda
We say: AZ Alkmaar 0-1 Feyenoord
Feyenoord have secured both away wins in Rotterdam this season, defeating Excelsior and Sparta, and now aim for a third consecutive victory at AZ.
With their last two visits to Alkmaar ending in 1-0 wins, the league leaders could achieve a third narrow victory at AFAS Stadion to maintain their winning start to the season.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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