Poland and the Netherlands are the top two teams in Group G of the World Cup qualifiers, and they are set to square up against each other in this all-important fixture on Friday evening in Warsaw.
The home team are second on the table with 13 points in their six outings, with four wins, a draw and a defeat. They are heading into this fixture on the back of consecutive wins in the qualifiers. They won 3-1 against Finland back in September, and their last outing was a 2-0 win over Lithuania.
The Polish team will certainly be confident about their chances of getting a positive result here. Having held the Netherlands to a 1-1 draw back in September, they will not be eyeing a win as it will guarantee a top-two finish.
Meanwhile, the visitors are top of the group with 16 points in their six outings, thanks to five wins and a draw. Since playing out that draw against Poland, the Dutch team have won each of their last three fixtures.
Koeman’s team were on fire during the last international break as they recorded 4-0 wins over Malta and Finland. They will be hoping to put up a similar display here. The Netherlands will go all out for the three points as it will seal their spot at the World Cup with a game to go. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Poland have a massive boost as Robert Lewandowski is back fit and bagged a hat-trick in his last outing for Barcelona. But they do remain without the services of Lukasz Skorupski and Jan Bednarek for this round of fixtures.
The home team will lineup in a 3-4-3 formation, where Bartlomiej Dragowski will be in goal. In the heart of the defence, Przemysław Wisniewski will start alongside Jakub Kiwior and Tomasz Kedziora.
The trio will receive significant support from Matty Cash and Michal Skoras, who will take charge as the wing-backs.
In the centre of the park, Bartosz Slisz will partner with Piotr Zielinski. The duo will look to shield the backline and ensure Dutch midfielders do not dominate the proceedings.
Sebastian Szymanski and Jakub Kaminski will feature on the flanks, providing much-needed width to their attacks. Meanwhile, Lewandowski will be leading the line for them.
Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Dragowski; Wisniewski, Kedziora, Kiwior; Cash, Slisz, Zielinski, Skoras; Szymanski, Lewandowski, Kaminski
Wout Weghorst has withdrawn from the squad because of a fitness issue. Meanwhile, Koeman has recalled Matthijs de Ligt following his impressive performances for Manchester United.
The Dutch team will line up in a 3-4-3 formation, where Bart Verbruggen will be in goal. Denzel Dumfries and Micky van de Ven could be the full-backs in this fixture, with Virgil van Dijk pairing up with Jurrien Timber in central defence.
Frenkie de Jong and Ryan Gravenberch will form the double pivot in midfield. They will look to shield the backline and control the tempo of the game.
Justin Kluivert will take up the number ten role, while Cody Gakpo and Donyell Malen will feature on the flanks, providing much-needed width to their attacks. Memphis Depay will spearhead the attack for the visitors.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Verbruggen; Dumfries, Timber, Van Dijk, Van de Ven; Gravenberch, De Jong; Malen, Kluivert, Gakpo; Memphis
While Liverpool have endured an inconsistent start to the season, Cody Gakpo has been one of their standout performers. The Dutch international has registered seven goal contributions in 16 appearances across all competitions.
Although those numbers might not be extraordinary, his versatility has proven invaluable for Arne Slot’s side. Whenever the ball is at his feet, there’s a sense that something could happen. Koeman will be hoping Gakpo can carry that form into this game and help his team secure their place at next summer’s World Cup.
The Netherlands are expected to edge this one, but it won’t come easy against a Polish side that has found their rhythm in recent outings. With Lewandowski back and the home crowd behind them, Poland will fancy their chances of causing an upset.
They have been difficult to break down in recent fixtures, and their ability to hit on the counter could trouble the Dutch backline. However, Koeman’s team are in fine form and have looked ruthless in front of goal in recent weeks.
The Oranje possess too much attacking quality and balance across the pitch; they should have enough to secure all three points and seal their place at the World Cup. The Hard Tackle predicts a hard-fought 2-1 win for the away team.
