The Eredivisie’s two title favourites go head to head in Eindhoven on Sunday as PSV host Ajax.

  • By Michael Bell
  • Follow Michael on Twitter

psv a ajaxBoth teams go into the match nursing disappointing European results midweek, with Ajax being defeated 4-0 in Barcelona, while PSV slumped to a shock 2-0 loss at home to Ludogorets.

PSV are now six games without a win, and the early season promise from Phillip Cocu’s side has now turned sour, with the team struggling to score goals, and looking shaky at the back, with star defender Karim Rekik out injured.

However although they have failed to beat Cambuur, Heracles, and Twente over the past few weeks, the Eindhoven side are still unbeaten, and sit 2nd.

Ajax are still finding themselves after losing key man Christian Eriksen at the end of the transfer window, but a 2-1 victory over surprise league leaders PEC Zwolle last week will have boosted the champions confidence, with the side now 4th.

PSV coach Cocu has a dilemma on who to start on Sunday, after the clubs dismal showing in the Europa League midweek, striker Tim Matavz will be lucky to find himself in the starting eleven.

Rested Stijn Schaars, Joshua Brenet, and Park ji Sung will all hope to be involved, after being rested on Thursday, while captain Georginio Wijnaldum is set to miss out due to injury.

Ajax coach Frank de Boer started with Bojan through the middle against Barcelona, with Kolbeinn Sigthorsson on the wing, and this isn’t expected to change on Sunday. Winger Viktor Fischer will replace Nicolai Boilesen on the wing in the only change, with Siem de Jong once again due to start.

Expected line-ups:

PSV- Zoet, Brenet, Bruma, Hendrix, Willems, Schaars, Toivonen, Maher, Park, Depay, Matavz

Ajax- Vermeer, Van Rhijn, Blind, Moisander, Denswil, Poulsen, De Jong, Duarte, Sigthorsson, Fischer, Bojan

Conclusion:

Last season in the reverse fixture, Ajax prevailed 3-2 thanks to a Derk Boerrigter winner, which all but handed the Amsterdam club the title in a fantastic game. Since then a lot has happened, and both sides look different after summer changes.

Its a shame that no Ajax fans will be present in the Philips Stadion, due to train issues, and a banning order from the Eindhoven Mayor, and the atmosphere in the ground will suffer no doubt.

However on the pitch the game should be a fantastic spectacle between two excellent attacking teams, and viewers should be in for a treat. Forget the Manchester Derby, PSV v Ajax is the must view game this weekend.




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