Sparta Rotterdam come into this one off the back of a bruising cup exit, a 0-5 humbling at the hands of UDI'19 on 2 September. That result will have stung, but cup shocks can sometimes galvanise a squad, and Sparta will be desperate to restore pride in front of their own fans. Their recent league outing, a trip to PSV, was always going to be a tall order, and the less said about that the better. Still, the +0.25 line has been covered by Sparta in seven of their last ten meetings with Heerenveen, which tells you they know how to make life difficult for this opponent. At home, they are a different beast, and the crowd at Het Kasteel will demand a reaction.

Heerenveen, meanwhile, arrive on the back of a 0-0 stalemate with Telstar on 13 September. That clean sheet shows defensive solidity, but it also highlights a lack of cutting edge. The Frisians have not started the season any better than Sparta, and their away form is hardly intimidating. They look stronger on paper, but football is not played on paper, and the bookmakers have not made either side a clear favourite. Momentum is hard to gauge here, but Sparta's home advantage and recent head-to-head record give them a slight edge in the psychological battle.