Last season’s Europa League finalists take on PEC Zwolle at the Amsterdan ArenA on Saturday evening, with Marcel Keizer’s side already looking to make up ground on reigning Eredivisie champions Feyenoord. However, with this weekend’s opponents having remained unbeaten in their opening three matches, Ajax could well have their work cut out.
Ajax vs PEC Zwolle
Dutch Eredivisie – Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam-Zuidoost – Saturday 9th September – 19:45 UK Time
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Draw Best Odd of: 11/5 at Ladbrokes |
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Ajax
PEC ZwolleMatch Preview
Ajax have recovered well from an opening weekend defeat, however they are still in need of three points when they take on PEC Zwolle on Saturday. However, with the visitors having defeated FC Twente and Roda JC already this season, the Dutch giants will seemingly need to be at their best if they are to take home the spoils. With a whole host of bets expected both prior to and during the 90 minutes, let’s take a closer look at the two teams, as well as some predictions surrounding the clash.
Ajax Team News & Form
Having lost a whole host of players over the summer, it is perhaps little wonder that Ajax are taking some time at the start of the campaign to hit top form. Davinson Sanchez, Davy Klaassen and Jairo Riedewald are just some of the names to have departed the Amsterdam ArenA over the summer, with Klaas-Jan Huntelaar their most high-profile arrival. The 34-year-old opened his account for the season in Ajax’s win over FC Groningen, however youngster Kasper Dolberg is set to ensure that the Duthman remains on the substitutes bench for the time being. Meanwhile, having signed from Newcastle United on transfer deadline day, Siem de Jong could make a second debut for the club, having starred between the years of 2007-2014. Ajax have averaged two goals per game so far this season, with their defence still looking shaky following the departures of some key individuals.
PEC Zwolle Team News & Form
An impressive victory over FC Twente before the international break means that PEC Zwolle sit in third position in the table, just a single point ahead of this weekend’s opponents. Former Melbourne City boss John van ‘t Schip is now in charge of PEC Zwolle, with the Dutchman having led his team to a fantastic start to the campaign, with the team having missed out on relegation by just a single point at the end of last season. Youness Mokhtar and Captain Bram van Polen have been the stars of the show for PEC Zwolle so far this season, with the duo each having two goals to their name.
Head to Head
From their 15 past meetings, it perhaps comes as little surprise that Ajax have come out on top on ten occasions, while PEC have won just twice. With just three draws from such encounters, it is safe to say that a win for either team is predicted on Saturday. Ajax collected six points from PEC last season, including a 5-1 success at the Amsterdam ArenA.
Betting Odds and Predictions
For those looking to simply back a home win, best odds of 2/9 can be found at Ladbrokes. However, for those looking for larger potential returns, there are some other markets that are worth utilising. Firstly, banking on their being over 2.5 goals is worth considering, with odds of 4/11 available at William Hill.
Top Betting Tip
Our top betting tip for the match is to back Kasper Dolberg to score at any point during the 90 minutes, which can be found at odds of 8/13 at Ladbrokes.