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

Without a win at Philips Stadion since February 2009, Heerenveen travel to Eredivisie-topping PSV Eindhoven in Saturday’s gameweek 24 clash, aiming to inflict consecutive defeats on the runaway leaders.

PSV came unstuck away to FC Volendam last time out, ending their almost year-long winning streak on their travels, and Peter Bosz’s team seek a response against this week’s visiting side from Friesland.

Match preview

In PSV’s bid for an 18th straight away win, relegation-threatened Volendam snapped their 17-game streak in gameweek 23.

Bosz’s team had claimed six victories on the road after March 2025’s loss to Go Ahead Eagles to close out last season’s title win, and the Peasants had notched a further 11 on their travels to aid their impressive 14-point lead at the top of the Eredivisie table.

However, Volendam had other ideas last time out in a thrilling second half at Kras Stadion that witnessed three goals, with Dennis Man’s equaliser for the Eindhoven giants coming either side of Robin van Cruijsen and Aurelio Oehlers scoring for the 14th-placed side.

Now aiming to avoid consecutive Eredivisie losses for the first time since 2022, when Ajax and AZ Alkmaar beat them, Bosz’s troops intend to respond emphatically against an opponent they usually fare well against.

PSV have secured three wins on the spin in this fixture since losing 1-0 away in December 2024, a defeat that stands as their only reverse against De Superfriezen in the last 10 matches.

Digging deeper, Heerenveen last secured a victory in Eindhoven in February 2009, a 17-match winless sequence they hope to halt on Saturday.

While the Super Frisians have claimed a few draws during that period, sharing the spoils in six visits, Robin Veldman hopes that his iteration emulate that 2009 side that stunned PSV 3-2 17 years ago.

The visitors have done commendably to respond to conceding nine goals in two games at the start of February, when they suffered a heavy 4-1 KNVB Beker loss against PSV and were thrashed 5-0 by FC Twente three days later.

Even though they remain unable to keep clean sheets, Veldman’s team have netted seven in 180 minutes of football to beat Go Ahead Eagles (3-1) and PEC Zwolle (4-2), showcasing their threat in front of goal.

However, going six matches in the top flight without a shutout — eight games across all competitions — could undermine the eighth-placed De Superfriezen’s prospects of ending in the European competition playoff positions.

PSV Eindhoven Eredivisie form:

PSV Eindhoven form (all competitions):

Heerenveen Eredivisie form:

Heerenveen form (all competitions):

Team News

PSV will be without Alassane Plea (knee), Nick Olij (groin), Matej Kovar, Ricardo Pepi (fracture) and Ruben van Bommel (knee) while Ismael Saibari could return after sitting out the loss at Kras Stadion.

The Morocco international has scored five of his 11 league goals in Eindhoven, a tally significantly outdone by Guus Til, who has netted eight of his 12 goals at Philips Stadion.

However, with Til sustaining an undisclosed injury during the week, Bosz will have to further improvise against Heerenveen, especially if Saibari remains unavailable.

Offering creativity for the hosts are Joey Veerman (11 assists), Mauro Junior (eight), Ivan Perisic (seven) and Man (six), who aim to add to their commendable numbers at the expense of Saturday’s opponents.

Eight-goal winger Jacob Trenskow has netted five of Heerenveen’s 17 away goals this term, accounting for 29.4% of their total, and the Dane aims to add to his tally on Saturday.

Lasse Nordas, however, has had a stunning fortnight for the visitors since Dylan Vente’s calf injury, scoring three times across the past two games, including a brace in February 11’s 3-1 triumph at Go Ahead Eagles.

Apart from Vente, De Superfriezen could be without the injured Luuk Brouwers, Oliver Braude (leg) and Levi Smans (knee).

PSV Eindhoven possible starting lineup:

Schiks; Dest, Flamingo, Obispo, Junior; Schouten, Veerman; Bajraktarevic, Wanner, Perisic; Boadu

Heerenveen possible starting lineup:

Klaverboer; Egbring, Kersten, Willemsen, Zagaritis; Linday, Van Overeem; Oyen, Merveld, Rivera; Nordas

We say: PSV Eindhoven 3-2 Heerenveen

Despite the expectation of further attacking changes, PSV still have sufficient firepower up top to continue their run of scoring two goals or more in home games in the top flight since September, an eight-match sequence following August’s 2-0 reverse against Telstar.

However, Heerenveen have recently found some form in the attacking third themselves, pointing to an exciting game on Saturday.

We back the Eindhoven giants to just about edge proceedings in what could be another thrilling Eredivisie fixture.

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