The final Eredivisie fixtures prior to the New Year take place on Christmas Eve, so the players cannot relax early in Holland. The pick of the fixtures on Sunday sees Ajax welcome Willem II to the Amsterdam Arena as they aim to keep the pressure on PSV at the top of the table. With PSV playing at home the previous day, Ajax know they will probably take maximum points and must not allow that to get them down as they attempt to win their own match.
Michael Reiziger will take temporary charge of the team following the dismissal of Marcel Keizer in mid-week. Willem II need the points to move clear of the relegation zone and avoid being sucked into a fight at the bottom of the table in 2018.
Dutch Eredivisie – Ajax Amsterdam v Willem II – Amsterdam Arena – Sunday 24th December 2017 – 13:30 UK Time
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Draw Best Odd of: 17/2 at Unibet |
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Ajax Amsterdam
Willem 2Ajax Amsterdam Form
Ajax come into this match looking to get back to winning ways following their penalties defeat at Twente in the cup on Wednesday night. While the cup is not the top of Ajax’s priorities this season, it was still a damaging defeat. However, in the Eredivisie, Ajax are unbeaten in their last 6 games and have lost just 1 of their last 11 league matches. They have been impressive at home in recent league games, winning their last 3 and scoring 11 goals across the 3 matches, conceding 2 in the process. Having already lost to Vitesse and Utrecht at home this season in the Eredivisie, Ajax will want to avoid another surprise defeat.
Willem II Form
Willem II enjoyed a good 3-0 win at home over RKC Waalwijk on Tuesday night in the cup and will be looking forward to a semi-final at home with Roda JC in the quarter-final. The victory in the cup means Willem II have lost only 1 of their last 7 games in all competitions and have become a tough team to beat in Holland. However, they have managed to pick up just 1 league win in their last 6 games.
Willem II have become the draw specialists in recent weeks and have drawn 4 of their last 6 Eredivisie matches, including two away from home at VVV and Vitesse. There have also been draws at home against NAC Breda and Sparta Rotterdam. Away from home in the league, Willem II have scored in their last 4 games but have conceded 12 goals in their last 5 matches.
Team News
Ajax can welcome back Joel Veltman following suspension but Vaclav Cerny, Daley Sinkgraven, Amin Younes, Nick Viergever and Max Wober are all out with injury. Willem II will be without Jordens Peters and Etien Velikonja who are both injured. They are expected to start in a 4-4-2 formation with Fran Sol and Bartholomew Ogbeche up-front.
Ajax Amsterdam v Willem II – Betting Odds and Predicitions
Despite their elimination from the cup on Wednesday and the sacking of their manager, Ajax still come into this match as heavy favourites to win priced at 1/8 with William Hill. However, Willem II have enough about them to make things interesting and could cause the Ajax defence plenty of problems. Willem II have been scoring goals away from home and Ajax to win and both teams to score is 11/8 with BetFred.
Top Betting Tip Ajax Amsterdam v Willem II
Ajax have been thankful for the goals of midfielder Lasse Schone recently and the experienced Dane has scored 5 goals in his last five league games. Schone is 6/4 to score at any time with Ladbrokes.