Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at how the Netherlands could line up for Friday’s UEFA Nations League clash with Hungary.
Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman could put out a fearsome all-Premier League centre-back pairing for Friday’s UEFA Nations League clash with Hungary in Budapest.
The Oranje boss is without Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber and Manchester City’s Nathan Ake due to injury this month, but Virgil van Dijk and Micky van de Ven are both firing on all cylinders.
Koeman said at a press conference on Monday that Van Dijk and Van de Ven could “certainly” play together in the backline, and it was ‘unfortunate’ that he had not been able to pair them up just yet.
However, that opportunity could now come at the Puskas Arena, where Van de Ven could demote Matthijs de Ligt, who has come under criticism for his recent showings in a Manchester United shirt.
Van de Ven and Van Dijk will protect Brighton & Hove Albion’s Bart Verbruggen if that is the case, while Denzel Dumfries and 18-year-old Ajax protege Jorrel Hato are primed to start out wide.
As Jerdy Schouten is sidelined, Tijjani Reijnders could drop deeper to partner Ryan Gravenberch in the centre of the park, thereby allowing Xavi Simons to occupy the number 10 spot in attack as opposed to a wide role.
Simons’s position change could allow Borussia Dortmund’s Donyell Malen to start on the right-hand side of the attack, while Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo is a shoo-in on the left flank.
Ajax’s Brian Brobbey and Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee are set to go head-to-head for the striker’s spot with Memphis Depay omitted, and as Brobbey has not scored in seven Eredivisie or Europa League games this season, Zirkzee could get the nod.
Netherlands possible starting lineup:
Verbruggen; Dumfries, Van Dijk, Van de Ven, Hato; Gravenberch, Reijnders; Malen, Simons, Gakpo; Zirkzee
No Data Analysis info