Heracles v Utrecht: play-off push meets survival fight | OneFootball

Heracles host Utrecht in the Eredivisie on Friday night in Almelo, with the bottom club chasing vital survival points and the visitors looking to cement their place in the European play-off picture.

Utrecht took the reverse fixture 4-0 in August and have tended to edge this match-up in recent years. The visitors arrive 8th, while Heracles sit 18th with the division's worst goal difference.

Form points opposite ways. Heracles have lost four league games on the spin since beating Fortuna Sittard, while Utrecht are unbeaten in three in the league, including wins at NEC and Groningen before defeating AZ last time out.

Both sides have lengthy injury lists. For Heracles, Mario Engels, Jeff Reine-Adelaide, Fabian De Keijzer and Yvandro Borges Sanches are out. Utrecht are without Sebastian Haller, Siebe Horemans, Victor Jensen, Mike Eerdhuijzen, Niklas Vesterlund, Zidane Iqbal and Mees Eppink.

The match-up could hinge on Utrecht's delivery and Heracles' defensive record. Heracles have conceded 65 league goals and kept just one clean sheet. Utrecht have 38 goals, 10 of them headers, and strike regularly from crosses in open play, with left-back Souffian El Karouani leading the league for assists with 10. Ajdin Hrustic has six assists for Heracles and may be key on set pieces and in transition. With Heracles having conceded eight penalties, the visitors could also look to force mistakes in the box.

A Utrecht win would strengthen their grip on the qualification play-off berths. Any positive result for Heracles could boost a survival bid from 18th in a tight relegation fight.