Fred Rutten's side bounced back from last week's humbling 4-2 loss to NAC Breda by beating Sampdoria in midweek to claim their place in the last 32 of the Europa League. Their attention will once more switch back to domestic matters on Saturday, and a home match against Heracles, with the Eindhoven side leading second-placed FC Twente by virtue of a better goal difference. Ola Toivonen, who scored both goals in the 2-1 victory over Samp, is aware they cannot afford to dwell on their midweek success. "We wanted to show everybody last Friday's defeat to NAC was a mistake and we did that," he said. "I'm happy with the three points, happy with my two goals and happy to progress in the Europa League. "Now we have to look ahead to our next match and ensuring we stay at the top of the table." Opponents Heracles travel to the Philips Stadion on the back of a 2-1 win over FC Utrecht which lifted them to 13th in the standings. Defending champions Twente find themselves level on points with PSV thanks to a 4-2 success at NEC Nijmegen last weekend. Their next test is at home to De Graafschap before they return to European action after a two-week break with their final Champions League match against Tottenham. Twente coach Michel Preud'homme admits it has been difficult juggling European football with the domestic league. "I think the win over NEC has done us a lot of good," he said. "Apart from a difficult start, I think we've done well in the league so far. "But we must make the most of this spell without a crowded schedule. It is not easy to fight on three fronts. If we weren't in the Champions League, we would have had more points in the Eredivisie." Third-placed Ajax ended a run of three successive defeats by beating VVV-Venlo last weekend, and will be hoping to build on that when they take on NEC on Saturday. They may start that match sitting fourth, however, as a victory for FC Groningen over Vitesse Arnhem on Friday night would see them climb into the top three at Ajax's expense. Groningen coach Pieter Huistra would like to see that happen after a 1-0 loss to Roda JC last Saturday. "We were terrible in the first half against Roda but much better in the second, and we must take courage from that," he said. "Tomorrow we play at home to Vitesse and we need to get back up on our feet again." AZ Alkmaar are also pushing for a place in the top three and travel to ADO Den Haag on Sunday hoping to extend a five-match unbeaten run. Seventh-placed ADO will be looking for an immediate reaction to their 2-1 loss to Feyenoord last time. Willem II are still without a win this season and lie six points adrift at the foot of the table with 15th-placed Feyenoord their next opponents on Sunday. Second-from-bottom VVV face Roda on the same day keen to end a run of three successive defeats, while Utrecht are at home to Heerenveen in a mid-table battle. Excelsior, who are six points better off than VVV, meet NAC Breda on Saturday.
