Feyenoord vs SC Heerenveen: An early season decider?

18 years after they claimed their 14th title, Eredivisie side Feyenoord are still in pursuit of a 15th trophy to add to the cabinet. This season seems to be their best chance yet, with nine straight wins propelling them ahead of their opposition.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst had the chance to extend the gap to eight points last weekend, but against an Ajax side that pose their biggest threat this season, it was always going to be a difficult task. Settling for a point, their perfect start was brought to a sudden end as Ajax youngster Kasper Dolberg netted to earn his club a deserved draw.

While Feyenoord edged past Ajax with their unbeaten record intact, they face another huge test on Sunday afternoon when they host third placed SC Heerenveen at De Kuip, knowing that Ajax will be breathing down their necks should they drop more points.

The away side suffered a poor start to the season, drawing two and losing one of their first three matches. However, Jurgen Streppel’s side have pulled it together and now find themselves just seven points off of the top spot, having embarked on a seven game unbeaten run.

A victory against Feyenoord would reduce that to just four points, while defeat would allow allow PSV Eindhoven to overtake them. With the likes of FC Twente, AZ Alkmaar and Vitesse also following closely behind them, the smallest of bad runs could have a big impact on Heerenveen’s position.

With 48 goals between them already this season, Sunday’s match-up could be a real goal fest. Feyenoord hold the best record for goals scored, having netted 26 times in 10 matches. Heerenveen aren’t far behind with 22, but having conceded nine times, their goal difference is some way off of Feyenoord’s difference of +22.

Streppel’s side will have to ensure that they remain defensively solid if they are to come away with a result against the best attacking outfit in the league. However, having conceded just twice in their last five games, Heerenveen will be confident that they can keep Feyenoord at bay.

It will be no easy task with Nicolai Jorgensen lining up against them. The Danish international, who joined the club this summer from Danish Superliga champions FC Copenhagen, has been the driving force behind Feyenoord’s brilliant start. With seven goals and four assists in just 10 Eredivisie games, Jorgensen leads the Eredivisie goalscoring charts, and, statistically, he will have an impact on Sunday’s game.

However, Heerenveen have their own key man to call upon in Sam Larsson. The baby-faced winger managed just six goals last season, despite featuring in every game that the club played. With five goals to his name already this season, in just eight matches, Larsson could be just the man to spoil Feyenoord’s day.

It’s still early days in the 2016/17 season and dropping points this weekend won’t be the end of the world for either team. Yet, with so many teams competing to finish in the top four, a single point could be the difference between a place in the Champions League, Europa League or a lack of European football at the end of the season.