Preview:NAC Breda vs. PSV Eindhoven - prediction, team news, lineups

Looking to defeat PSV Eindhoven in the Eredivisie for the first time since 2013, NAC Breda welcome the defending league champions to Rat Verlegh Stadion in Saturday's gameweek 13 fixture.

NAC have lost the last 10 encounters against their Eindhoven visitors, who are favourites to extend that streak of victories against their Breda-based opponents.

Match preview

Having gone three matches unbeaten to marginally move away from the relegation zone, NAC suffered a damaging defeat to FC Volendam before the international break to leave them in 14th, just two points above the dreaded bottom two spots.

Carl Hoefkens’s team have accrued 12 points from 12 matches, two clear of SBV Excelsior in the relegation playoff position and three clear of the bottom two clubs — Telstar and Heracles — in 17th and 18th, respectively.

Losing at Volendam before the break was an undeniable setback as the 2-1 defeat followed a three-match unbeaten sequence during which Parel van het Zuiden accumulated five points from nine.

With Lewis Holtby and Fredrik Jensen sent off during the defeat and Hoefkens dismissed from the touchline, the loss of discipline was palpable.

Bouncing back ideally should be on the agenda for this weekend; however, NAC face the dreaded prospect of facing bete noire PSV, who hold the one-sided advantage in this fixture.

Although the Breda-based team secured a domestic cup success in January 2020, that 2-0 win remains an anomaly, considering that the previous seven went the Eindhoven club's way and the subsequent three have followed the same pattern.

Peter Bosz thus aims to guide his side to another success against an opponent the Peasants fare well against, aiming to claim a fourth consecutive triumph over NAC.

Maximum points for the Peasants would undoubtedly maintain their status atop the Eredivisie table, having defeated Feyenoord in gameweek 10 to move level with Robin van Persie's men before opening a three-point lead after the Rotterdam giants lost before the hiatus.

Considering the mini-wobble Van Persie's team is suffering, PSV will head into this weekend's round aware of the possibility of increasing their lead.

Bosz's team have elevated their game since losing to Telstar and drawing with Ajax in late August and September, respectively, winning six top-flight matches on the spin and averaging 3.5 goals during that timeframe — more than anyone else in the division.

By scoring five goals in consecutive gameweeks against Fortuna Sittard (5-2) and AZ Alkmaar (5-1) before the hiatus, the Eindhoven giants have now racked up 40 strikes in 12 games, significantly more than Feyenoord's 31.

While their tendency to concede can be a weakness, that all-or-nothing approach typifies Bosz's modus operandi, and the PSV will back themselves to a hilt for better or worse.

NAC Breda Eredivisie form:

NAC Breda form (all competitions):

PSV Eindhoven Eredivisie form:

PSV Eindhoven form (all competitions):

Team News

Following their red cards against Volendam, Holtby and Jensen are suspended for NAC this weekend.

Likely absent are Leo Greiml, Enes Mahmutovic and Jayden Candelaria, though they are sidelined due to injury.

After firing blanks in two league games and three overall, Sydney van Hooijdonk hopes to end his drought and add to his five league goals in round 13.

While PSV have a relatively healthy squad, Alassane Plea and Ruben van Bommel are absent through injury; the latter's knee issue effectively rules him out for the rest of the season.

Although Ismael Saibari could not add to his eight league goals against AZ, the Morocco international assisted one of his team’s five goals to bring his direct involvement for the season to 10 — only Joey Veerman (11) has more.

Guus Til’s hat-trick in Alkmaar saw him level with Saibari on eight goals, and the Dutchman intends to increase his tally in gameweek 13.

NAC Breda possible starting lineup:

Bielica; Lucassen, Kongolo, Balard, Kemper; Leemans, Nassoh; Talvitie, Paula, Sowah; Van Hooijdonk

PSV Eindhoven possible starting lineup:

Kovar; Dest, Schouten, Gasiorowski, Salah-Eddine; Junior, Veerman; Man, Saibari, Perisic; Til

We say: NAC Breda 1-4 PSV Eindhoven

While NAC hope that the break causes a drop in PSV's relentless scoring, that wish is unlikely to come true against the league-leading hosts.

No match since a 2-2 draw in January 2009 has ended in a stalemate, and a winner is likely to emerge on Saturday, with the Peasants punishing their Breda hosts to extend their six-match winning streak.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.