AZ Alkmaar coach Gertjan Verbeek will be looking for his players to continue their winning ways against ADO Den Haag in the Eredivisie on Saturday after securing their place in the semi-finals of the KNVB Beker.
AZ had missed the chance to reclaim the Eredivisie top spot last weekend when they lost 2-0 away to Roda JC in Kerkrade.
But two goals from Maarten Martens earned AZ a 2-1 win over amateur side GVVV Veenendaal on Wednesday to reach the semi-finals.
Verbeek paid tribute to the attitude of his players who did not take their lower-ranked opponents too lightly.
He told the club website, www.az.nl: "We showed the right mentality."
However, Verbeek will look for his players to show better scoring form in The Hague after only scoring twice in the cup tie.
He said: "We put in a fine performance but should have shown more goalscoring prowess. We only claimed a narrow win, also because GVVV put up a brave fight. They are a good team with wonderful supporters."
Victory would be enough to put AZ top as PSV Eindhoven and FC Twente, the two teams above them in the table, are not in action until Sunday.
The bottom two sides meet on Saturday with Excelsior at home to VVV-Venlo, with both hoping to take three points in their bid to escape the drop.
Seven points separate Vitesse Arnhem, in seventh, and 12th-placed NAC Breda with both sides looking to improve their European qualification credentials with a win when they meet on Saturday.
Leaders PSV are in action on Sunday with a trip to mid-table Heracles Almelo, with second-placed Twente away to struggling De Graafschap.
Twente will be without Austrian striker Marc Janko, who was a transfer-window departure to Porto.
The club brought in replacement Glynor Crush from Heracles and also have right-winger Wesley Verhoek, a signing from ADO, available to face De Graafschap.
Fourth-placed Ajax could make up ground on the top three as they are at home on Sunday to FC Utrecht, while fellow European contenders Feyenoord are away to NEC Nijmegen.
Ajax will be without midfielder Ouasim Bouy after the midfielder agreed a deadline-day move to Italian giants Juventus.
Ajax had hoped to keep the youth academy product but with his deal due to expire in the summer and the player having turned down a new four-year contract the Eredivisie club decided to cash in.
Sunday's other game sees Groningen take on RKC Waalwijk.
The weekend's Eredivisie action gets under way on Friday night as Heerenveen take on Roda JC.
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