The first De Klassieker of the season will happen at a time when Ajax are trying to revive their season and Feyenoord are trying to close the distance to the title favourites. The last few editions of this clash have had unexpected results, to say the least, including Feyenoord’s biggest-ever win in a derby match.
Has Ajax’s crisis ended or were the last three victories in a row a fluke and the calm before a new storm? The Sons of the Gods won twice or more in a row for the first time this season and we are four months into the new campaign. This should tell you the state in which Ajax are after missing out on the title by a point last season.
Maybe in his role as caretaker, Fred Grim can save this season for Ajax, as they now sit at the borders of the Champions League qualification spots and a whole 14 points behind PSV Eindhoven. Not to mention the fact Ajax are close to the bottom of the UCL standings and almost out of the competition after winning only one of their six fixtures to date.
Meanwhile, Feyenoord are in a similar position in Europe, stranded near the bottom of the Europa League table after one win in six games. But in the Eredivisie, the Club on the Meuse have been the only team to challenge PSV’s title charge.
Or they were before the recent B2B losses, which put them six points behind the leaders. Now, Feyenoord can’t afford to lose to their eternal rivals or their title ambitions will be over.
How the bookies view it: Surprising away advantage
This fixture is a rare case where Ajax are listed as underdogs when playing at home, and it feels odd knowing that Feyenoord have also been inconsistent in recent weeks.
Nevertheless, you can pick Ajax at 2/1, while Feyenoord are available at 23/20. Also, the draw is available at 29/10.
Recent head-to-head: Extreme wins for both sides
Matches between Ajax and Feyenoord have often seen extreme scorelines and goal margins, and it is never an easy clash to predict. For instance, Ajax won both editions of De Klassieker last season and Feyenoord never came close to even claiming a point from those games.
But the season before that saw Feyenoord beat Ajax 6-0 and 4-0, so this rivalry can be extremely unpredictable.
Players to watch: Ueda is in a league of his own
After a brief period of mediocre performances, Ayase Ueda is back to his best form and scoring incredible goals week in and week out. Most recently, he scored four goals in the 6-1 win over Zwolle last week. The Japanese phenomenon now has 18 goals in 15 rounds in the Eredivisie.
Backed a player to find the net? Check our Goalscorer Betting guide to see how the markets work and where to find value.
Probable line-ups
Ajax: Jaros, Regeer, Bouwman, Itakura, Wijndal, Taylor, Klaassen, Gloukh, Bounida, Dolberg, Godts
Feyenoord: Wellenreuther, Smal, Watanabe, Ahmedhodzic, Lotomba, Targhalline, Valente, Borges, Timber, Moussa, Ueda
Anything else catch the eye?
The Eredivisie has long been popular for its high-scoring matches, and Feyenoord are one of the prime examples. Nine of the team's last 10 matches, including those in Europe, have featured at least three goals. In the league specifically, 11 of 15 have covered this line.
Additionally, seven of the last 10 H2Hs also featured 3+ goals, and we expect the same outcome here. Ajax have improved in recent weeks and should get involved in the scoring, although we expect Feyenoord to claim the spoils.
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