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Looking to end their run of five straight defeats, rock-bottom PEC Zwolle host Ajax at the MAC³PARK Stadium on Saturday.
The visitors, meanwhile, know they can move into top spot in the Eredivisie standings with a win and will come out determined to secure all three points.
PEC Zwolle’s horrid start to the campaign continued last time out when they fell to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Willem II Tilburg.
Turkish midfielder Görkem Sağlam came up trumps for the Blauwvingers as he scored the only goal of the game in the 53rd minute to hand them their second consecutive victory.
Art Langeler’s side are now the only team yet to pick up a single point this season after losing to Vitesse and NEC Nijmegen in their previous two outings.
Their poor run has been down to their misfiring frontmen, who are yet to find the back of the net this campaign.
Meanwhile, Ajax returned to winning ways in style as they thrashed Vitesse 5-0 in their last outing.
Prior to that, Erik ten Hag’s men were held to a 1-1 draw by Twente, where Robin Pröpper’s late strike canceled out Sébastien Haller’s opener to force a share of the spoils.
Ajax have picked up two wins and one draw from the first three games and are currently two points behind league leaders PSV, who boast a 100% record in the division.
PEC Zwolle vs Ajax Head-To-Head
Ajax have been utterly dominant in the history of this fixture, claiming 18 wins from their previous 23 encounters with PEC Zwolle. The Blauwvingers have managed just two wins, while three games have ended all square.
PEC Zwolle Form Guide (all competitions): L-L-L-L-L
Ajax Form Guide (all competitions): W-L-W-D-W
PEC Zwolle vs Ajax Team News
PEC Zwolle
PEC Zwolle will take to the pitch without Japanese defender Sai Van Wermeskerken, who is presently recuperating from a knee problem. Sam Kersten is currently suspended after picking up a straight red in the game against NEC Nijmegen.
Injured: Sai Van Wermeskerken
Suspended: Sam Kersten
Ajax
The visitors will be without the services of right-back Sean Klaiber and midfielder Mohammed Kudus, who have both been sidelined through injuries. Meanwhile, Nicolas Tagliafico and Andre Onana are both suspended and will sit out the game.
Injured: Mohammed Kudus, Sean Klaiber
Suspended: Andre Onana, Nicolas Tagliafico
PEC Zwolle vs Ajax Predicted XI
PEC Zwolle Predicted XI (4-3-3): Kostas Lamprou; Bram Van Polen, Rav van den Berg, Siemen Voet, Mees De Wit; Eliano Reijnders, Yuta Nakayama, Thomas Van den Belt; Pelle Clement, Slobodan Tedić, Kenneth Paal
Ajax Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Maarten Stekelenburg, Noussair Mazraoui, Jurrien Timber, Lisandro Martinez, Daley Blind, Edson Alvarez, Ryan Gravenberch, Steven Berghuis, Davy Klaassen, Dusan Tadic, Sebastien Haller
PEC Zwolle vs Ajax Prediction
Both sides have had contrasting starts to the new season and find themselves at opposite ends of the Eredivisie standings. Looking at past results between the sides, we are tipping Ajax to comfortably come away with all three points as they boast a significantly stronger crop of players.
Prediction: PEC Zwolle 0-3 Ajax
