Heerenveen v Utrecht: mid-table duel with the play-off picture in sight | OneFootball

Heerenveen host Utrecht in the Eredivisie on Sunday, 1 February 2026 at the Abe Lenstra Stadion, with both aiming to climb into the top half and edge closer to the qualification play-offs.

The reverse fixture finished 2-2 in September, and the sides arrive 10th and 11th respectively, separated by a single point. Heerenveen have taken a draw off Feyenoord and posted away wins at Heracles and Sparta in recent weeks, while Utrecht are looking for a reset after five straight defeats in all competitions.

Heerenveen are without suspended defender Sam Kersten, with Hristiyan Ivaylov Petrov, Lasse Nordas and Levi Smans sidelined. Utrecht list Victor Jensen, Mike Eerdhuijzen, David Min, Zidane Iqbal, Emirhan Demircan and Mees Eppink as injured. Jensen has five league goals this season.

The season's trends point to contrasting routes. Heerenveen average 52% possession and have shared goals around, with Jacob Trenskow and Dylan Vente on six league strikes each, and Luuk Brouwers supplying four assists. Utrecht's wide delivery could be decisive: Souffian El Karouani leads the league's assist chart with nine, and the visitors have scored nine headed goals, backed by strong open-play cross accuracy at 27.55%.

A win would lift Heerenveen to 27 points and could move them into the top half, strengthening a push towards the qualification play-offs. Utrecht would reach 26 points with victory and may leapfrog their hosts, re-energising their bid to join the mid-table pack chasing those play-off spots.