Memphis Depay may be on the bench again when Netherlands meet Sweden. He did not feature in the 2-2 draw with Japan until the 70th minute, and Ronald Koeman could name an unchanged side again. Sweden, meanwhile, are expected to keep faith with the Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres partnership after their opening win.

Why Koeman may stick with the same setup

Depay's situation is the clearest selection question on the Dutch side. He is Netherlands's all-time leading goalscorer with 55 goals, but he has only one World Cup appearance so far this tournament and just 24 minutes overall. That is a pretty restrained return for a player Koeman still trusts as a major option, even if not from the start.

The Dutch have already felt the cost of not finishing a game properly. They twice led against Japan and still came away with a 2-2 draw. With only one point from that match, Koeman does not need a dramatic rethink as much as a cleaner performance.

Why Sweden look set to keep their front two

Sweden's case is simpler. They beat Tunisia 5-1 in their opener, and Alexander Isak was at the centre of it with two goal contributions and an 8.9 rating in one World Cup appearance. Viktor Gyökeres added one goal contribution too, which is why Graham Potter is expected to leave the attacking structure alone.

There is one small wrinkle around the opener, because one source refers to the game as being against Algeria while others say Tunisia. The wider reporting and the scoring detail line up with Tunisia, where Yasin Ayari scored twice, refused to celebrate his opener because his father was born there, then celebrated the second.

Sweden also know exactly what is at stake. A win over Netherlands would take them into the knockout stage, and they would also win Group F if Japan do not beat Tunisia. That makes their decision easier than Koeman's. Keep the front two, keep the momentum, and let the numbers speak for themselves.

FAQ

Will Memphis Depay start for Netherlands against Sweden?

He may not. Memphis Depay did not feature in the 2-2 draw with Japan until the 70th minute, and Ronald Koeman could name an unchanged side against Sweden. He has 24 World Cup minutes so far and only one appearance this tournament.

Why are Sweden likely to keep Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres together?

Sweden are expected to keep faith with the attacking structure that worked in their opening Group F match. Alexander Isak has an 8.9 rating and two goal contributions in one World Cup game, while Viktor Gyokeres has one goal contribution already.

How important is the Netherlands vs Sweden match for Group F?

It matters a lot for Sweden's route. A win over Netherlands would send Sweden into the knockout stage, and they would also win Group F if Japan do not beat Tunisia. Netherlands have only one point after drawing 2-2 with Japan.

Compiled by the ClutchBrief Desk with AI assistance, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →