NEC Nijmegen vs FC Utrecht Prediction 09.01.2026 | Eredivisie

NEC Nijmegen have emerged as one of the Eredivisie’s most pleasant surprises this season, firmly inserting themselves into the race for end-of-season European playoff places. Sitting fourth with 29 points on the board, they trail third-placed Ajax by just a single point, underlining how competitive the upper end of the table has become.

Under the astute guidance of Dick Schreuder, NEC have developed into one of the league’s most potent attacking outfits outside the traditional “Big Three.” Their tally of an eye-catching 43 goals from 17 league matches speaks volumes about their attacking intent, with only runaway leaders PSV (51) boasting greater firepower.

Momentum is also firmly on their side. NEC have not ended up on the wrong side of the scoreline since early November, putting together an impressive seven-match unbeaten run that reads five wins and two draws. That sequence was most recently highlighted by a thrilling four-goal draw against Ajax, a performance that showcased both their resilience and attacking ambition.

However, Schreuder will be forced into at least one change for Friday’s league clash, as 21-year-old midfielder Sami Ouaissa is suspended after seeing red last time out. In addition, goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen, along with Bram Nuytinck and Youssef El Kachati, remain sidelined through injury, slightly thinning an otherwise confident and well-drilled squad.

Meanwhile, FC Utrecht have struggled to find real momentum this season and will need a significant uptick in consistency if they are to replicate last term’s fourth-place finish. As things stand, Ron Jans’ side occupy the final European qualification playoff spot, having mustered a fairly modest return of 23 points so far.

The Domstedelingen have shown a clear tendency to share the spoils in recent weeks, with four of their five league draws this season coming across their last five Eredivisie outings. In fact, Utrecht have not tasted victory since November 9, when they edged Ajax 2–1 on home soil, highlighting a worrying drop-off in results since that morale-boosting triumph.

Away from Stadion Galgenwaard, Utrecht’s shortcomings have been even more evident. They have managed to emerge victorious from just one of their opening eight top-flight road trips, collecting three draws and suffering four defeats along the way, a return that underlines their ongoing struggles on their travels.

To compound matters, Utrecht will be without influential striker Sebastien Haller, who sustained a hamstring injury while on international duty, while David Min remains sidelined and unavailable, further limiting Jans’ attacking options at a crucial stage of the campaign.