NEC Nijmegen vs Ajax Prediction & Betting Tips - Eredivisie

Prediction published on 06/01/2023, 09:00  by Devesh Jaganath | Modified on 06/01/2023 at 10:23 in Eredivisie Predictions

The Eredivisie returns to action this weekend, and in our featured match, we will see the defending champions, Ajax, travel to the Goffertstadion to resume their title defence against NEC Nijmegen in the standalone early kickoff on Sunday afternoon. The reigning champs would have welcomed the World Cup break owing to a poor run of form in the lead-up to the tournament. Ajax were three consecutive games without a win, which included draws to Vitesse and Emmen and a loss to title-contenders PSV at the Amsterdam Arena. They resume the league campaign in second place, with 30 points in 14 matches, three behind league-leaders Feyernoord and level with third-placed PSV. Ajax has won three, drawn two, and lost one of their last six matches, but their form away from home has been excellent, recording five wins in seven outings. Ajax won this fixture 1-0 last season, with an 88th-minute winner from Brian Brobbey. Ajax's attack was superb before the break, but they've struggled to keep out the goals at their defensive end. They had scored six in the last three matches before the break but conceded seven over the same time. 

NEC was starting to find their rhythm again ahead of the break, winning back-to-back league matches against Cambuur and a massive 6-1 win over 10-man Waalwijk before the league was halted. They will start the day in 9th place in the league, with 17 points in 14 matches, seven points adrift from the European Cup playoff spots. Their record this season includes three wins, eight draws and three losses. Despite averaging a little over one goal per game, NEC's defence has proved to be their major strength so far this season when compared to the rest of the league. They have conceded only 16 goals so far this season, which is fewer than their opponents and several other sides above them in the league. In attack, Dimata, Marques, and Mattson are the side's top scorers, with seven goals shared between them, which is their major issue when considering that their opponent's front-men, Bergwijn and Brobbey, have eight goals each. NEC has the most drawn results in the league this season and will be happy if they can come away with another in this fixture.