Preview:PEC Zwolle vs. PSV Eindhoven - prediction, team news, lineups

PEC Zwolle aim to secure back-to-back Eredivisie wins over PSV Eindhoven for the first time in recorded history when they host the defending champions at MAC³PARK Stadion on Saturday.

The gameweek eight fixture comes eight months after Zwolle’s remarkable victory over Peter Bosz's side, ending an 11-year wait for maximum points in this fixture.

Match preview

Having finished last season with eight points from a possible 12 in Zwolle, followed by a 1-0 win over Twente in August, Henry van der Vegt’s team have suffered consecutive home defeats.

Those 2-0 losses against Utrecht and Go Ahead Eagles highlight the Blauwvingers’ struggles to score and keep clean sheets, having netted in five successive home games and kept three shutouts going back to last season.

Now without a win in six league games since their victories over Twente (1-0) and promoted Telstar (2-0), Van der Vegt’s men have just a draw across six top-flight matches, amplifying their ongoing difficulties.

The hosts are placed 14th in the early Eredivisie standings with seven points, just above Heerenveen in the relegation playoff spot and SBV Excelsior in second-bottom, meaning they risk dropping into the dreaded zone after the next round.

Securing consecutive victories over PSV will be a tough challenge for a club that waited 11 years to break an 18-match losing streak against the Eindhoven giants.

PSV beat PEC 7-1 in Zwolle in the 2023-24 season and were expected to secure another straightforward victory in January, only to suffer a surprising 3-1 defeat in Overijssel.

Looking to prove that loss was merely a setback, Bosz's team aim to return to winning ways and maintain their dominance over the 14th-placed side.

Although they have kept only one clean sheet in eight matches across all competitions, the defending Eredivisie champions' 1-1 draw with Bayer Leverkusen at the BayArena slightly alleviates their loss to Union Saint-Gilloise on matchday one.

This midweek draw also extended PSV's undefeated away streak in multiple competitions to 10 games, including eight Eredivisie matches.

Three of those wins on the road came at Twente, NEC and Excelsior, with scores of 2-0, 5-3 and 2-1, respectively, and they aim for a fourth consecutive league win away from home this weekend to keep their unbeaten Eredivisie away record intact.

While Bosz's team cannot finish below third this weekend — Ajax, who visit Sparta Rotterdam on Saturday, are one point behind — they could top the standings if they secure maximum points and unbeaten Feyenoord lose to Utrecht.

PEC Zwolle Eredivisie form:

PSV Eindhoven Eredivisie form:

PSV Eindhoven form (all competitions):

Team News

Odysseus Velanas (ankle) is a doubt for this weekend, while Zico Buurmeester and Damian van der Haar are likely to miss out for the hosts.

Although Koen Kostons did not add to his four league goals last weekend, he registered his second assist of the season, bringing his total goal involvements to six.

PSV played commendably in Leverkusen despite injuries, and could be without as many as four players, including Alassane Plea, Kiliann Sildillia, Myron Boadu and long-term absentee Ruben van Bommel; meanwhile, Sergino Dest and Ricardo Pepi will be assessed before Saturday.

Joey Veerman and Ivan Perisic have each contributed to six goals this season, with Perisic setting up a league-high five assists, both aiming to make a decisive impact in round eight.

Ismael Saibari has missed a staggering 10 clear-cut chances this season — unsurprisingly the highest in the Eredivisie — and, after scoring at the BayArena on Wednesday, hopes to net in his third consecutive Eredivisie match.

PEC Zwolle possible starting lineup:

De Graaff; Aertssen, Graves, MacNulty, Floranus; Thomas, Oosting; Faberski, Shoretire, De Rooij; Kostons

PSV Eindhoven possible starting lineup:

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

We say: PEC Zwolle 1-3 PSV Eindhoven

Having lost the corresponding fixture in Zwolle earlier this year, PSV are unlikely to suffer the same fate against an opponent they have never lost to back-to-back in recorded history.

Therefore, the visitors’ depth and match-winning options should see them to a comfortable victory this weekend.

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