MX23RW : Tuesday, March 9 18:54:54| >> :600:257521:257521:
Jan 30, 2021 at 3.30pm UK at Polman Stadion
HeraclesHeracles
1-0
GroningenGroningen
Burgzorg (24')
FT(HT: 1-0)

da Cruz (46')

Preview: Heracles vs. Groningen - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Saturday's Eredivisie clash between Heracles and Groningen, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Groningen travel to Heracles on Saturday hoping to keep the pressure up on those around them in the race to qualify for European football next season.

The away side will be hoping to exact revenge on their hosts, who inflicted a 1-0 defeat on them when the sides met in December.


Match preview

Heracles were on course for a second win on the bounce after taking a 2-0 half-time lead against PEC Zwolle on Wednesday, through strikes from Lucas Schoofs and Delano Burgzorg.

However, their hosts rallied in the second half to secure a hard-earned point, keeping the gap between them in the Eredivisie table at one point.

Frank Wormuth and his men now face a more difficult task against Groningen, but they will take inspiration from their aforementioned victory over them earlier in the season.

Top scorer Rai Vloet is without a goal in his last four games in all competitions, but his manager will not be panicking just yet as he has played relatively well in that time.

Groningen picked up their second league victory of the year on Wednesday, seeing off the challenge of ADO Den Haag in a comfortable 3-0 home victory.

Jorgen Strand Larsen was on target for his side once more, and the 20-year-old Norwegian is now up to eight Eredivisie goals for the season.

His goal was sandwiched in between strikes from Ramon-Pascal Lundqvist and Alessio Da Cruz which helped Danny Buijs's men to their fifth home win of the campaign, which is bettered by only Ajax, Vitesse and PSV Eindhoven.

If Groningen are to appear in Europe for the first time in five years, then keeping their good form at home will be a huge determining factor.

Saturday's visitors have lost on their last two trips to the Erve Asito, and they will be keen on avoiding a third defeat in a row.

Heracles Eredivisie form: WLWLWD
Heracles form (all competitions): LWLLWD

Groningen Eredivisie form: LDWDLW


Team News

With three goals in his last three games, Delano Burgzorg has come to the fore in recent weeks for the home side, and he will be looking to continue that rich vein of form.

Mats Knoester has missed Heracles' last four games with a knee problem which he suffered in the 4-0 demolition of Emmen two Wednesdays ago.

With him on the sidelines for the home team is Navajo Bakboord, who is yet to feature this season owing to a muscle injury he sustained over a year ago.

Another player who has been out for quite a while is Groningen's Arjen Robben, who has only featured in the first two games of the season since his return to the Hitachi Capital Mobility Stadion.

The legendary Dutch winger could well make his return to action soon, which would be a real boost for his side's quest to finish in the top four.

Heracles possible starting lineup:
Blaswich; Quagliata, Propper, Rente, Breukers; Schoofs, Azzaoui, De La Torre; Van De Water, Vloet, Burgzorg

Groningen possible starting lineup:
Padt; Gudmundsson, Van Hintum, Itakura, Angel Leal; Lundqvist, Van Kaam, Da Cruz; Suslov, Strand Larsen, El Hankouri


SM words green background

We say: Heracles 1-1 Groningen

While Groningen are arguably the better team, they have struggled more often than not in away games at Heracles, who will be keen to keep it that way.


Top betting tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting over 1.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Over 1.5:data


ID:432533:cQx:QQ:

How you voted: Heracles vs Groningen

Heracles
28.0%
Draw
28.0%
Groningen
44.0%
25
Share this article now:
Did you know...?
PSV Eindhoven players celebrate in October 2020
Read Next:
Saturday's Eredivisie predictions including PSV Eindhoven vs. RKC Waalwijk
>
Latest Sports Video
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free match previews newsletter! Updates are sent twice a week.

rhs 2.0
Todays Game Header Right
Champions League
Championship
Eredivisie
Primeira Liga
League One
League Two
National League
National League North
National League South
Scottish Championship
NIFL Premiership
Welsh Premier League
Eerste Divisie
Copa Libertadores
Copa Diego Maradona
Liga MX
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Ajax24193276195760
2PSV EindhovenPSV25166358273154
3AZ AlkmaarAZ25147457372049
4Vitesse25153741261548
5Feyenoord25137552262646
6Groningen2512673227542
7FC UtrechtUtrecht2491053830837
8FC Twente259974033736
9Heerenveen258983535033
10Heracles2595112838-1032
11Fortuna SittardSittard2594123645-931
12PEC Zwolle2551193340-726
13Sparta RotterdamSparta2567123341-825
14RKC WaalwijkRKC Waalwijk2558122337-1423
15VVV-VenloVVV-Venlo2565143766-2923
16Willem II2546152855-2718
17ADO Den HaagADO Den Haag2529142053-3315
18EmmenEmmen2527162254-3213

Subscribe to our Newsletter


Transfer Talk Daily
Match previews - twice weekly
Morning Briefing (7am UTC)
Ultra close-up image of Kevin De Bruyne [NOT FOR USE IN ARTICLES]Get the latest transfer news, match previews and news direct to your inbox!