Match Preview: AZ Alkmaar 0-1 Utrecht Prediction and Betting Tips | Eredivisie

AZ Alkmaar – Utrecht Prediction and Tips for today, January 27, 2021

Match Preview and Predictions

• Pascal Jansen’s AZ Alkmaar came out on top in a highly entertaining affair at Feyenoord last time out, keeping them in touch with the top-three race. That 3-2 victory extended AZ’s run of league games featuring both teams score to ten, which contributed to an average of 4.0 total goals per fixture across that period.
• Although AZ have now won their last three home league games, they are known to be a little shaky after HT. Seven of their ten conceded home league goals have arrived beyond the break, and they’ve dropped more points from leading positions at HT at home than all but the bottom two sides ahead of this round (W3, D1, L1).
• As for Utrecht, they head into this buoyed after registering consecutive clean sheets (W2) following a run of three winless games prior (D2, L1). Their latest 1-0 victory keeps them in the play-off race, although their current 24-point return is worse than at this stage during any of their past five Eredivisie campaigns.
• There is a notable disparity between Utrecht’s home/away league form too, evidenced by the fact they have picked up just seven of their 24-point haul on the road (29.17%). Utrecht do improve as their away league games progress though, and they possess a -8 goal difference in the first half compared to +4 during the second. They’ve also scored just one away goal before HT so far (HT: D2, L6).
• Players to watch: Three of Jesper Karlsson’s six league goals for AZ this season were match openers scored within ten minutes. Meanwhile, Utrecht’s dangerman Gyrano Kerk (three goals, three assists) has grabbed a goal and two assists across his eight career H2Hs with AZ.
• Hot stat: Utrecht manager René Hake is yet to win after five career H2Hs with AZ (D2, L3) – all five games saw both teams score and over 2.5 goals.