Twente vs FC Utrecht Reserves Predictions

Twente returned from the Christmas break with an assertive display at MVV last week, and a combination of their 0-2 win and teams slipping up elsewhere meant that Marino Pusic’s side moved up to 2^nd in the Eerste Divisie table where they sit just two points behind leaders Den Bosch. The Enschede outfit are really getting their act together now after notching four victories on the bounce, and it will take a brave punter to back against them recording a fifth consecutive victory when they host strugglers Jong Utrecht this Friday night.

Twente wrapped up the points by half time in Maastricht last week thanks to goals from winger Rafik Zehknini and veteran centre-half Wout Brahma, and Marino Pusic’s side are shaping up to be Den Bosch’s nearest challengers for automatic promotion as we move into the business end of the campaign.

Twente have now won their last four following victories against Volendam (1-2), Cambuur (0-1) and NEC (2-0) prior to the festive break, and that run has seen them jump into 2^nd place after recent slip-ups from Sparta Rotterdam and Go Ahead Eagles.

The Enschede outfit will be licking their lips at this week’s fixture against Jong Utrecht after their 1-6 romp at Sportpark De Westmaat when the teams met back in October, and it’s no surprise that Twente are heavy odds-on favourites at around the 1/7 mark to bank their seventh win of the campaign at De Grolsch Veste.

Twente faltered at home on a few occasions during the first half of the season and will be disappointed to have lost four times in front of their own supporters, but Friday’s opposition should pose little threat to the hosts on their quest to improve their record in Enschede.

Jong are capable of causing problems for the more accomplished teams when they’re at home as typified by their 4-3 success over Jong Ajax and 0-0 stalemate with Den Bosch in Utrecht towards the back end of last year, but they’re unquestionably the worst travelling team in Eerste Divisie.

Robin Pronk’s men have drawn two and lost eight of their ten outings on the road this term, scoring just eight and conceding 25 – and they’re now without a win away in 13 overall in a run stretching back to last season.

They signed off for Christmas with a 2-0 away defeat to fellow strugglers Helmond Sport and were turned over 1-3 on their return last week by 19^th placed Jong AZ, so Jong really couldn’t go into this Friday’s daunting fixture in worse shape.

Twente rate as absolute bankers for Eerste Divisie punters on match day 21, but the hosts’ price obviously won’t get too many people excited.

It’s never easy to determine just how motivated teams will be to rack up the goals in matches that they’re expected to win easily, but judging by Twente’s aforementioned hammering of Jong in the reverse fixture, we could see a few netted here.

So we’re backing Twente to cover a two goal handicap with the minimum of fuss on match day 21, and 5-0 is definitely worth a shout out at a decent price in the correct score market too.