Second-placed PSV Eindhoven will aim to cut the gap at the top of the Eredivisie with victory at home to leaders FC Twente on Saturday evening.
PSV will be looking to forget last week's 4-1 defeat by Ajax and the previous week's 2-1 loss at NAC Breda - the only losses Fred Rutten's side have suffered this term - and narrow the deficit to Twente from five points to two at the Philips Stadion. Captain Mark van Bommel's contract extension was a welcome boost to PSV, who will be without key midfielder Ibrahim Afellay.
Afellay was hit with a four-match ban, with one match a conditional suspension, by the Dutch Football Association after striking Ajax's Eyong Enoh in the stomach at the Amsterdam Arena last weekend.
The incident went unseen by officials and Afellay was punished retrospectively through the use of television pictures.
However, PSV are unhappy with Enoh's role and the lack of punishment imposed on the Ajax midfielder, who was seen to provoke Afellay by treading on his foot. Also missing alongside Afellay on Saturday will be Andre Ooijer and Erik Pieters, but Jagos Vukovic is expected to be fit despite picking up a knock against Ajax.
Danny Koevermans, however, is fit to return. Twente, however, have a clean bill of health and will be looking to inflict PSV's third straight loss.
Steve McClaren's men have won their last five - since falling to a 3-0 loss at Ajax - and welcome back Blaise N'Kufo. Dwight Tiendalli and Wout Brama missed training earlier this week and are the only minor doubts.
Ajax, who have beaten both Twente and PSV in recent weeks, will bid for their eighth straight win at RKC Waalwijk on Sunday.
The Amsterdammers have scored 20 goals in their last seven games and will be expected to beat the league's bottom club at a canter this weekend. Victory for Ajax and defeat or a draw for PSV would see Martin Jol's side climb into second place.
The weekend opens with Heerenveen hosting NEC Nijmegen tomorrow night. Heerenveen have had mixed fortunes of late but have won two of their last three matches away from home. NEC, meanwhile, have lost four straight games.
Fourth-placed Feyenoord are in action on Saturday against Vitesse Arnhem. The Rotterdammers are six points clear of Europa League rivals AZ Alkmaar and a win would help them consolidate their position in the standings.
Vitesse are one point clear of the relegation zone and are without a win in eight. Elsewhere on Saturday, Willem II meet Utrecht and Heracles Almelo play NAC Breda.
In the remaining games on Sunday, AZ will bid to keep up the pressure on Feyenoord in the battle for the second Europa League spot when they travel to Sparta Rotterdam. ADO Den Haag entertain VVV Venlo and FC Groningen meet Roda JC.
