Preview: AZ Alkmaar vs. Cambuur - prediction, team news, lineups

High-flying AZ Alkmaar welcome Cambuur to the AFAS Stadion on Saturday seeking to make it 11 consecutive victories all competitions.

Meanwhile, the visitors make the journey this weekend looking to end a poor run of form which has seen them fail to win any of their last four outings.

Match preview

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AZ Alkmaar booked a spot in the last eight of this year's KNVB-Beker thanks to a 2-1 win against FC Twente at De Grolsch Veste on Wednesday.

Pascal Jansen's men trailed shortly after half time to Ricky van Wolfswinkel's strike before hitting back through an own goal from Julio Pleguezuelo and a Vangelis Pavlidis winner eight minutes from time.

The Cheeseheads have been on fire since the middle of November, picking up 20 of a possible 24 points in the league to move into fifth place in the Eredivisie table.

An opportunity to keep this fine run going awaits against an opposing side on a run of eight defeats in the last 10 meetings between the teams since 2012.

Only league leaders PSV Eindhoven have amassed more points on home turf than Saturday's hosts, who go in search of an eighth league triumph in front of their fans this weekend.

Cambuur played out a second straight share of the spoils on Sunday following a 1-1 stalemate versus Sparta Rotterdam.

Henk de Jong's men took the lead three minutes past the half-hour mark through a Tim Coremans own goal but failed to see out the game as they conceded a 77th-minute leveller to Adrian Dalmau.

The Yellow-Blues are eighth in the league standings at the moment, just outside the Conference League playoff places only on goal difference.

Off the back of an impressive first half of the season in their first top-flight campaign since gaining promotion, Saturday's visitors will seek to get the second half up and running with all three points in this one.

Team News

Zakaria Aboukhlal is a guaranteed absentee for AZ this weekend as he remains on duty with Morocco at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations.

Jelle Duin and Bruno Martins Indi are ruled out through ankle and hamstring injuries respectively, but the latter is nearing a return to action.

Dani De Wit was on target in the reverse fixture and will be looking to come up trumps for his side once again.

Cambuur are also missing some players due to the AFCON, with David Sambissa and Issa Kallon representing Gabon and Sierra Leone respectively.

Mees Hoedemakers was not in the squad for the visitors' last game due to a slight knock, making him a doubt for Saturday's game.

AZ Alkmaar possible starting lineup:
Vindahl; Wijndal, Beukema, Chatzidiakos, Witry; Clasie, Midtsjo, De Wit; Karlsson, Pavlidis, Sugawara

Cambuur possible starting lineup:
Stevens; Bangura, Schouten, Mac-Intosch, Van der Meer; Jacobs, Paulissen, Maulun; Doodeman, Uldrikis, Joosten

We say: AZ Alkmaar 3-1 Cambuur

AZ have dominated this fixture to a large degree and are huge favourites to get the job done. We fancy them to emerge triumphant in what should be an absorbing contest.

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