In one of Dutch football’s most iconic fixtures, PSV Eindhoven and Ajax are set to face off at Philips Stadium on Sunday.
Never before have the fortunes of these two clubs been so contrasting.
While PSV Eindhoven boasts a flawless domestic record this season, leading the Eredivisie with a 100% win rate, Ajax finds itself in an unprecedented slump, languishing in the relegation zone after seven games.
Match Preview:
PSV Eindhoven continues its pursuit of the Eredivisie title, aiming for their first championship in seven years.
Under the guidance of Peter Bosz, the team remains unbeaten in the league, winning all nine games in the first quarter of the season.
Although they faced a setback with a 1-1 draw against Lens in the Champions League, PSV Eindhoven’s dominant performances in domestic competitions compensate for their European form.
Bosz’s attacking style has led to the team scoring three or more goals in their last eight consecutive games, both at home and away.
Defensively, PSV Eindhoven has been equally impressive, conceding only three goals in nine Eredivisie matches, with just two goals conceded at home.
On the other hand, Ajax’s season has been far from satisfactory.
The 36-time Eredivisie champions are enduring their worst start in club history, currently sitting in 17th place, just one point above the bottom-placed team.
Their struggles continued with a 2-0 defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion in the Europa League, where Ajax looked unrecognizable compared to their previous successes.
Interim manager Hedwiges Maduro now takes charge of Ajax’s Eredivisie campaign, hoping to turn their fortunes around after a chaotic defeat to Utrecht.
Ajax showed a momentary comeback from a 2-0 deficit, only to concede a last-minute winner and suffer their fourth consecutive league loss.
PSV Eindhoven Eredivisie form:
W-W-W-W-W-W PSV
Eindhoven form (all competitions):
W-W-D-W-W-D
Ajax Eredivisie form:
D-D-L-L-L-L
Ajax form (all competitions):
D-L-D-L-L-L
Team News:
PSV Eindhoven will be without Armando Obispo, Mauro Junior, and Noa Lang due to injuries.
Hirving Lozano is expected to replace Lang on the left side, although his performance this season has been below par with just one goal in five games.
Striker Luuk de Jong, with seven goals, remains the main threat for PSV Eindhoven.
Ajax will miss Geronimo Rulli, Sivert Mannsverk, Amourricho van Axel Dongen, Devyne Rensch, Jay Gorter, and Georges Mikautadze due to injuries.
Steven Bergwijn, with three goals, is their most successful attacker, but the team has struggled to find the back of the net consistently.
Possible Starting Lineups:
PSV Eindhoven:
Benitez;
Teze, Ramalho, Boscagli, Dest;
Tillman, Schouten, Veerman;
Bakayoko, Lozano, de Jong
Ajax:
Ramaj;
Gaaei, Sutalo, Hato, Sosa;
Berghuis, Tahirovic, Taylor;
Bergwijn, Borges, Brobbey
Prediction:
It is astonishing to consider the possibility of Ajax, the most decorated team in Dutch football history, facing relegation.
However, their recent performances have worsened the mathematical odds. PSV Eindhoven, taking advantage of Ajax’s struggles, aims to solidify their position at the top of the table.
- Our prediction: PSV Eindhoven 3-1 Ajax