Highlighted: AZ is back on track

Maarten Martens is now leading AZ for ten Eredivisie games. In his first four games, the Alkmaar team only managed to secure three points (3 draws, 1 loss), but since then, they've earned sixteen points in six matches. No team has collected more points in the last six rounds than AZ (Feyenoord also has 16). Defensively, the Alkmaarders are particularly strong, with only two goals conceded in the last seven Eredivisie matches. The last three games were even won without conceding a goal, the last time the team won more consecutive matches while keeping clean sheets was in October-December 2019 (then 7 matches).

The streak of seven Eredivisie matches with only two goals conceded began when goalkeeper Mathew Ryan returned from the Asia Cup in mid-February. The AZ goalie has been having an excellent season somewhat under the radar. Only Walter Benitez has kept more clean sheets this Eredivisie season than Ryan, who also has the highest save percentage in the league among all goalkeepers with at least five matches played.

Up front, there's still a player who is having an exceptional season. Vangelis Pavlidis has taken the lead in the top scorer race with 24 goals, now two goals ahead of Luuk de Jong and three ahead of Santiago Giménez. Thanks to his scoring spree in recent weeks, the Greek striker has become the highest-scoring AZ player in the Eredivisie this century and has entered the top five on the all-time top scorers list for the Alkmaarders. He also became just the third player ever to score at least 24 goals in an Eredivisie season, after Kees Kist (who did this five times) and Vincent Janssen. With seven matchdays still to go, the Greek has plenty of time to improve his totals. Can AZ, with this form, break into the top three?

Follow the match between Heracles Almelo - AZ live on Wednesday at 18:45 on ESPN!