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Stats: Hakim Ziyech will star in Ajax's Eredivisie return

The fifth round of Eredivisie matches take place this weekend, and according to the stats, Morocco's Hakim Ziyech should do the job for Ajax.

But what else do the numbers tell us about the Netherlands' top league?

4 - 59 - 3 - South Africa striker Lars Veldwijk has been a leading light in a great start to the 2019/20 season from Sparta Rotterdam. The Bafana Bafana giant has made four substitute appearances, with his cumulative time on the pitch coming to just 59 minutes, yet he has managed three goals.

However, Sparta are likely to find the going tough in their first real test since being promoted, as they take on champions Ajax on Monday.

4.7 - 4 - 2.7 - Ajax's key man in attack is Morocco's Holland-born Ziyech. He averages a league high 4.7 shots per game, and is Ajax's stats leader for key passes per game (4), dribbles (2.7) and offsides (0.7), all of which shows that he is a well-rounded attacking threat who involves himself in build-up play, is capable of shooting from all angles, but also attempts to run in behind high-lying defences.

4.3 - Nigerian attacker Chidera Ejuke will look to inspire Heerenveen to a second win of the campaign when they host Fortuna Sittard at the Abe Lenstra Stadion on Sunday.

Ejuke has scored just once and is yet to register an assist in his four Eredivisie appearances this season, but his value to 'De Superfriezen' lies in his ability to carry the ball in attack. He averages 4.3 dribbles per game, way above Heerenveen's next 'dribbliest' player Mitchell van Bergen, who averages 2.8.

The round of Eredivisie matches wraps up on Sunday night with bottom-of-the-log RKC Waalwijk hosting title hopefuls PSV Eindhoven.

85.4 - Waalwijk will look to 24-year-old Comoros midfielder Said Bakari to continue his rise to prominence. He has registered one assist from three league appearances thus far, and averages 1.3 shots per game, 1.3 key passes per game and has a passing accuracy of 85.4 percent - above the overall average of his team, 84.1 percent.

Other African stars to watch

Moroccan Ilias Bel Hassani was a goal scorer for PEC Zwolle in their last outing and will be looking to impress again when they travel to Emmen for the opening match of the round on Friday night, while his compatriot Mohamed El Hankouri will chase a first strike of the season when his Groningen team welcomes Heracles to Hitachi Capital Mobility Stadium on Saturday evening.

Ivorian Wilfried Kanon will feature in defence for ADO Den Haag at home to VVV, Ghanaian forward Issah Abass chases a second goal of the season when Utrecht travel to Twente, and Moroccan attackers Oussama Tannane and Oussama Idrissi will feature respectively for Vitesse v AZ Alkmaar on Sunday afternoon.

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