Every week in the 2019/20 season, Football-Oranje’s Michael Statham gives you his predictions and betting tips for each Dutch Eredivisie round. Michael competes against a different special guest each week. This week, it’s Daniel van der Molen, who is a producer and editor of 90 min.

  • by Michael Statham
  • Follow Michael on Twitter @EredivisieMike
  • Follow Dan on Twitter @dvdmolen

Friday, 28th February

Willem II v FC GroningenDelayed airing on Premier Sports 2

Michael’s prediction: It’s now one win in six for European hopefuls Willem II. Going so well before Christmas, now the Tilburgers face the pressure of their season. It’s important that they just return to enjoying their football. Groningen will wish to continue their tight defensive record though (which remains the third best in the Eredivisie). I think this game will be tight. 1-1 | Tip: Under 2.5 goals.

Dan’s prediction: Following an outstanding end to 2019 for Andre Koster’s men, Willem II have rather fallen off the wagon of late with only one win in five Eredivisie matches. However, Groningen haven’t been the same themselves since the departure of Kaj Sierhuis and I see a fairly routine win for the hosts here. 3-1

Saturday, 29th February

ADO Den Haag v Heracles Almelo

Michael’s prediction: ADO will be so frustrated with throwing away a two-goal lead last weekend. Fans are definitely feeling the strain, so much so that ten of them confronted Alan Pardew in a training session this week. This is one of ADO’s remaining ‘winnable’ games this season, so it could be win or bust in their fight for survival. Heracles beat Ajax last Sunday, it would be typical if they then went and lost in the Hague! Heracles are so dependent on Cyriel Dessers’s goals that keeping the lone front man quiet is key to ADO’s hopes of a win. 1-0 | Tip: Home win.

Dan’s prediction: It’s fair to say that Alan Pardew hasn’t exactly lit up the Eredivisie as yet and with growing pressure on himself and his coaching staff this could surely be a pivotal match in The Hague. I predict a spirited performances by ADO with Heracles sloppy at times and unable to provide the heroics on display against Ajax last week. 2-2

PEC Zwolle v Vitesse ArnhemDelayed airing on Premier Sports 2

Michael’s prediction: I’ve watched PEC Zwolle’s last two matches; they played a great game against Feyenoord but they created little against AZ. They seem to perform far better at home and I think their 5-3-2 will both frustrate Vitesse and get down the sides of the Arnhem defence. I think a small shock will be on the cards in Zwolle. 2-1 | Tip: PEC Zwolle double chance.

Dan’s prediction: Both sides here are on a poor run of form with only one win a piece in their previous five matches. Over 60% of Zwolle home games has seen both sides score before half-time and although the hosts could desperately use a win, I feel Vitesse could prove too strong and hold out for all three points. 1-2

VVV-Venlo v Fortuna Sittard

Michael’s prediction: A big match at the bottom! VVV are now six unbeaten and have only conceded five times along the way. Fortuna combatted well with Feyenoord last Saturday and I back them to fight hard in Venlo for a vital three points. 1-2 | Tip: Diemers to score.

Dan’s prediction: It’s a huge game for both sides here with only three points separating them towards the bottom of the table but it’s VVV who come into this one in a rich vain of form. Fortuna Sittard on the other hand, remain very inconsistent but they really can’t afford to lose this one. I predict a solid away performance which gains them what could be a crucial point come May. 1-1

FC Twente v Heerenveen

Michael’s prediction: Twente followed up their outstanding win over AZ with an undeserved defeat to Utrecht. Twente will win resoundingly if they can continue their high pressing and chance creation. Noa Lang and Queensy Menig’s pace and direct dribbling is a good watch. 3-1 | Tip: Twente + 1.5 team goals.

Dan’s prediction: The visitors have scored before half-time in their last four away games but they come up against a Twente side who, when in the mood, can create problems for the best sides in the league, especially at De Grolsch Veste. It was 0-0 earlier in the season but I’m predicting a good evening for the hosts on Saturday. 3-1

Sunday, 1st March

RKC Waalwijk v FC Utrecht

Michael’s prediction: RKC’s defeat to Sparta was limp. I expect Utrecht to bag a few against this Waalwijk side. 0-3 | Tip: Utrecht -1.5 Asian handicap.

Dan’s prediction: Times are hard in Waalwijk with RKC having only won one of their last five home games and rooted to the foot of the Eredivisie table. Utrecht on the other hand are chasing down a top five finish and I predict a routine away win here on Saturday. Ill discipline has occasionally cost RKC this season so it wouldn’t surprise me to see the hosts reduced to 10 at some stage. 0-2

PSV v FeyenoordDelayed airing on Premier Sports 2

Michael’s prediction: Time for a topper! PSV and Feyenoord have both suffered this season but are now revitalised. The winner of this will feel confident of a top-two push as the season draws to a close. Feyenoord have the most pourous defence in the top half, so against top opposition, they may be stretched, and lately I’ve noticed Feyenoord have been scrappy despite winning ten in a row. Feyenoord’s Steven Berghuis versus PSV’s left-back Ricardo Rodriguez will be a fascinating battle. I think PSV will come out on top thanks to in-form winger Cody Gakpo. 2-1 | Tip: Over 2.5 goals.

Dan’s prediction: Feyenoord have been nothing short of outstanding since the appointment of Dick Advocaate but I envisage PSV being hard to break down here at the Phillips Stadium and following a slight resurgence in form themselves I predict a share of the spoils here which will leave both sides slightly frustrated. 1-1

Sparta Rotterdam v FC Emmen

Michael’s prediction: I’ve been really impressed with Emmen recently and they should go into this as favourites to win. It’s easy to forget though the away side’s dreadful record on the road; however, Dick Lukkien has been working on the way his side play. The addition of Karim Frei over Winter was fantastic their midfield creativity. I’ll go for a draw here. 1-1 | Tip: Both teams to score.

Dan’s prediction: With only one point separating these two sides in the Eredivisie, I can see a close and tightly fought game here in Rotterdam. Sparta have conceded the first goal in each of their last three league matches but I going with a home win on Sunday to reverse the 2-0 win for Emmen earlier in the season. 2-1

Ajax v AZ AlkmaarDelayed airing on Premier Sports 2

Michael’s prediction: After Ajax lost Heracles last weekend, this game now takes on huge importance to the title race. Each time AZ gain ground on Ajax, they then lose form of their own, which has so far stifled efforts to truly place them in the running for first position. AZ will undoubtedly play on the counter-attack, where you should see them scoring at least one against this out-of-form and unsettled Ajax team that is riddled with injuries and inconsistency in team selection. Both sides were knocked out of Europe on Thursday: Ajax were improved against Getafe though, whilst AZ dropped to a new low in their defeat in Austria. Ajax may pull an important result out of the bag; and I can only see a win here (not a draw). 2-1 | Tip: Over 2.5 goals.

Dan’s prediction: This game could very well swing on the outcomes of tough midweek Europa League matches for both sides, AZ will feel this is a must-not-lose match but the thought of going level on points with the league leaders may be too hard to resist and create an open match here on Sunday evening. I feel a topsy-turvy match at the Johan Cruijff Arena could finally swing the Amsterdammers’ way, putting them, once again, six points clear. 3-2

How has Michael done so far?

Week 1: 2 results + 5/9 correct betting tips | Lost versus Derby County goalkeeper Kelle Roos [6 results]

Week 2: 5 results + 3/9 betting tips | Lost versus Football Manager head researcher Jeroen Thijssen [5 results & 1 correct score]

Week 3: 4 results & 1 correct score + 5/9 betting tips | Won versus ED journalist and PSV-watcher Rik Elfrink [4 results]

Week 4: **2 results & 1 correct score + 4/6 betting tips | Lost versus ED journalist Chris Ottens [**3 results] **reduced schedule of only 6 matches

Week 5: 4 results + 6/9 betting tips | Won versus commentator Phil Blacker [3 results & 1 correct score]

Week 6: 6 results & 1 correct score + 7/9 betting tips | Lost versus EiF founder & journalist Marc Gerschwind [8 results & 2 correct scores]

Week 7: 5 results & 1 correct score + 5/9 betting tips | Won versus commentator Jonathan Beck [4 results]

Week 8: 5 results + 5/9 betting tips | Lost versus commentator Paul Thomas Clay [6 results & 1 correct score]

Week 9: 6 results & 1 correct score + 4/9 betting tips | Won versus “Eredivisie Out of Context’s” Yorin Schrader [5 results]

Week 10: 2 results + 2/9 betting tips | Lost versus Eredivisie scout Xander Wilkinson [3 results]

Week 11: 5 results and 1 correct score + 6/9 betting tips | Lost versus VVV-Venlo midfielder Lee Cattermole [6 results and 2 correct scores]

Week 12: 5 results and 1 correct score + 5/9 betting tips | Won versus football graphic designer Joeri Gosens [4 results and 1 correct score]

Week 13: 6 results + 6/9 betting tips | Won versus betting tipster MegaFootyTips [5 results and 1 correct score]

Week 14: 3 results and 1 correct score + 5/9 (+ one void) betting tips | Lost versus betting tipster Crypto [5 results and 3 correct scores]

Week 15: 5 results and 1 correct score + 5/9 betting tips | Won versus author Abdul Al Sayed [5 results]

Week 16: 5 results + 4/9 betting tips | Won versus tactical analyst Thom Bleijerveld [4 results and 1 correct score]

Week 17: 4 results and 1 correct score + 4/8 & 1 void betting tips | Lost versus Groningen podcaster Maarten Siepel [5 results and 1 correct score]

Week 18: 6 results and 2 correct scores + 6/9 betting tips | Won versus journalist Maarten Elst [4 results]

Week 19: 5 results and 3 correct score + 4/9 betting tips | Won versus commentator Richard Connelly [5 results]

Week 20: 4 results and 1 correct score + 4/9 betting tips | Won versus Utrecht podcast Red White Podcast [3 results]

Week 21: 7 results and 2 correct scores + 7/9 betting tips | Won versus Portuguese Dutch football outlet Espreme a Laranja [5 results]

Week 22: **4 results and 1 correct score + **2/7 betting tips | Won versus Football-Oranje founder Michael Bell [**2 results and 1 correct score] **reduced schedule of only seven matches

Week 23: 4 results and 2 correct scores + 7/9 betting tips | Lost versus commentator Paul Thomas Clay [5 results]

Week 24: 4 results and 1 correct score + 6/9 betting tips | Draw versus writer Alex Dieker [4 results and 1 correct score]




Michael Statham (800 Posts)

Writer/interviewer/YouTuber for Football-Oranje. Massive Dutch football fan from the UK. Follow me @EredivisieMike & subscribe to Football-Oranje on YouTube.