Excelsior and Ajax Amsterdam will battle for three points in an Eredivisie matchday 19 fixture on Sunday.
The hosts come into the clash on the back of a 1-0 defeat away to Utrecht on Wednesday. Anastaios Douvikas' sixth-minute goal proved to be the difference between the two sides.
Ajax had to settle for a share of the spoils in a disappointing 1-1 draw at home to Volendam. Daman Mirani put the visitors ahead in the 59th minute, while Mohamed Kudus salvaged a point for his side with 10 minutes to go.
The draw continued Ajax's poor run of form and led to the termination of Alex Schreuder's contract.
They find themselves in unfamiliar surroundings as they sit in fifth spot with 34 points to their name, seven points behind table-toppers Feyenoord. Excelsior occupy the 13th spot, having garnered 19 points from 18 games.
Excelsior vs Ajax Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- Ajax have been overwhelmingly dominant, winning 41 of 48 previous matches against Excelsior and losing just one.
- Their most recent clash came in October 2022 when Ajax went on a rampage in a 7-1 home win.
- Ajax have drawn each of their last six Eredivisie games, with both sides finding the back of the net on five occasions.
- Four of Excelsior's last five matches have seen one side fail to find the back of the net.
- Each of the last seven head-to-head games have witnessed goals at both ends, with six matches in this sequence producing three goals or more.
- Ajax are on a six-game unbeaten away run in all competitions, winning three and drawing three.
Excelsior vs Ajax Prediction
Ajax's poor run of form continued with an uninspiring 1-1 draw against relegation-threatened Volendam on home turf. It came as no surprise that the club management decided to part ways with Schreuder as they drifted further away in the title race.
The defending champions have a seven-point deficit to cover and cannot afford to drop points in matches they are expected to win.
The anticipated managerial change could spark an upturn in performance for the players and we are backing Ajax to claim a comfortable win in a high-scoring game.
Prediction: Excelsior 1-3 Ajax
Excelsior vs Ajax Betting Tips
Tip 1 - Ajax to win
Tip 2 - Both teams to score
Tip 3 - Over 2.5 goals
Tip 4 - Ajax to score in both halves