Highlighted: One last time the savior in need

For the sixth time, Edward Sturing takes charge within a Eredivisie season (excluding matchday 1 and being on the bench in the absence of the head coach), sharing the record for the highest number of occurrences in the league's history with Dick Advocaat. This marks Sturing's return as the ultimate authority in a Vitesse Eredivisie match since January to March 2020, when he ultimately oversaw eight league matches.

With this appointment, Vitesse hopes to create the well-known shock effect, a fresh 'new' breeze aiming for better short-term results. Edward Sturing has been able to bring about this change in the past, remaining undefeated in the first league match of his five previous tenures (W4, D1). Naturally, these instances were all on behalf of Vitesse. The fact that Sturing is called upon at the end of November and after twelve Eredivisie matches is also an adjustment for him. The only other time he had to start so early in the season was in 1999/00, during the eleventh match in October. Sturing has been on the sidelines a total of 150 times as the ultimate authority in Eredivisie matches for Vitesse, twelve times more than the second-place Herbert Neumann (138).

Edward Sturing will have to manage his first match of his sixth tenure without the club captain. Marco van Ginkel is suspended following his red card against SC Heerenveen. It's a significant loss as Van Ginkel scored four of Vitesse's nine goals this Eredivisie season. Fortunately for Sturing, Million Manhoef remains unscathed with Jong Oranje. Together, Manhoef (3 goals) and Van Ginkel are responsible for 78 percent of Vitesse's goal production. No other team has a duo contributing such a significant portion to their team's total goals.