Ajax are now winless in their last three games after they suffered a 2-1 defeat against Hajduk Split in the UEFA Conference League.

Before the international break, Ajax looked in fine form after significant wins against Fortuna Sittard and Willem II. They drew 2-2 against Excelsior but were dominant, and the performance was largely positive.

Since returning from the international break, Ajax have struggled to build on the momentum they had before the break. They drew 1-1 to NEC Nijmegen, producing a disappointing performance and followed that up with an even worse showing against Hajduk Split in Croatia.

Ajax's next game is on Sunday afternoon against FC Groningen in the Euroborg, and Michel Sanchez's side needs to ensure they secure the three points to build confidence and ease the pressure that is currently building. Ajax sit five points behind Feyenoord, who are at the top of the league, and the Amsterdammers cannot afford that gap to continue growing.

Speaking to Ziggo Sport in a post-match interview after Ajax's loss in Split, Davy Klaassen, who scored Ajax's only goal of the night, explained why he believes they lost the game.

"Very painful. Losing is always painful, but especially when you want to start a tournament like this well. The field play wasn't good enough to dominate.

"The moments in both boxes made the difference; we weren't good enough there. If you can't dominate, then those moments in the boxes are decisive. That isn't the first time this season." 

Klaassen emphasised that it is important for everyone to stay calm during this turbulent period for the club.

"We shouldn't overdo it. We need to keep analysing and not go into panic mode. Last Saturday, we played a match like that too. You shouldn't be dependent on moments like that."

Thursday night's game was temporarily halted for a few minutes due to fireworks being set off in the stadium. Klaassen spoke about whether the atmosphere in the stadium had a negative impact on Ajax's performance in Split.

"The atmosphere shouldn't have an influence; we have played in bigger stadiums too. We ourselves let it become such a party here."

Klaassen is right that Ajax have not been good enough in both boxes this season. They have already dropped several points as they were not clinical enough in certain games.

However, this was not the main reason for Ajax's defeat in Croatia. Against Hajduk Split, Ajax's overall performance was very poor. They had a few decent chances in the second half to equalise, but struggled to create chances regularly, particularly in the first half. They only created two big chances during the game and registered an xG (expected goals) of 1,15, compared to Hajduk Split's 1,99.

Both goals they conceded in Split happened because they lost possession carelessly, as opposed to poor defending in the penalty box.

Ajax need to find form quickly, or else they risk falling even further behind in the Eredivisie title race. They need to start converting their chances, and out of possession, they need to press with more intensity.