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

Looking to put consecutive Eredivisie defeats behind them, PSV Eindhoven welcome in-form FC Utrecht to the Philips Stadion in Saturday’s Eredivisie action, knowing they could be crowned champions this weekend.

Peter Bosz’s team suffered losses to NEC and Telstar before the hiatus, and now head into this weekend’s 29th round aware of the threat posed by opponents they have not lost to in seven years.

Match preview

PSV’s 15-point lead at the top of the Eredivisie table with 18 points left to play for means the Eindhoven giants are unlikely to throw away what many expect to be a 27th league title.

However, Bosz’s team have wobbled of late on their saunter, possibly a consequence of having little else to play for besides domestic football, having already exited Europe in January after matchday eight in the league phase of the Champions League.

While they responded to that disappointment by claiming four wins from their next five matches, losing only to FC Volendam in that period, a 3-2 defeat to NEC in the KNVB Beker semi-finals dented their prospects of a domestic double.

Since that cup loss, two more reverses have followed in three Eredivisie matches, with Bosz’s side — not exactly renowned for an impressive clean sheet record — conceding three again in another defeat to NEC (3-2) in Eindhoven before falling 3-1 at struggling Telstar before the international break.

Without a clean sheet in nine matches across all competitions and in seven successive top-flight games, the concession of three goals in three of their last four fixtures — two of them in the Eredivisie — gives Utrecht a fighting chance of an upset on Saturday, even if it is unlikely to alter the destination of the title.

While a positive result for the away side may not create any real jeopardy at the top — with second-placed Feyenoord entering this weekend on a run of one league win in four — Ron Jans’s visiting Cupfighters have a shot at two things: improving their chances of playing in Europe next season and ending a long wait for success against PSV.

The first ambition sees Utrecht occupying seventh place in the table — one of the positions that guarantees a playoff spot for European football — but several other teams in the division harbour the same aim.

Although FC Twente in fifth have opened up some daylight between themselves and the three other clubs currently in pole position for those spots — AZ Alkmaar (42 points), Utrecht (41) and Heerenveen (41) — that trio have Sparta Rotterdam (41) and Groningen (38) in ninth and 10th respectively waiting to exploit any dropped points from the sides above them.

That creates jeopardy for an in-form Utrecht team, who are seeking to end a seven-year wait for success against this weekend’s hosts, having last beaten PSV in October 2019 with a stunning 3-0 victory.

You have to go back further, to February 2016, for the last Utreg win in Eindhoven — a 3-1 quarter-final success — while the Cupfighters’ last league victory away to PSV on record was a 3-2 triumph in October 1980.

Given the historical precedent against Utrecht in this fixture, it will be interesting to see whether a side that have taken 17 points from the last 21 available, keeping four consecutive clean sheets before the international break, can finally solve their PSV riddle on Saturday.

PSV Eindhoven Eredivisie form:

PSV Eindhoven form (all competitions):

FC Utrecht Eredivisie form:

Team News

Anass Salah-Eddine’s suspension begins on Saturday, with the defender on the naughty step after his first-half dismissal against Telstar before the international break.

Long-term absentees Ruben van Bommel and Alassane Plea (both knee issues) and hamstrung Sergino Dest miss out through injury.

Looking to put his prospective on-and-off Fulham summer move behind him, Ricardo Pepi aims to add to his 10 league goals this weekend and end a two-game Eredivisie drought.

The Eindhoven giants, though, have plenty of match-winning quality in their ranks, with both Guus Til and Ismael Saibari on 12 goals apiece, four of which have jointly been decisive, while Ivan Perisic and Pepi’s returns have produced three match-winning strikes between them.

As for Utrecht, Artem Stepanov — a winter arrival on loan from Bayer Leverkusen — has scored in each of the away side’s last three wins against AZ, Twente and Go Ahead Eagles, and the 18-year-old forward will look to add to his growing tally on Saturday.

Despite the teenager’s recent impact, Gjivai Zechiel — six goals, four assists — and Souffian El Karouani — two goals, 10 assists — will probably shoulder much of the final-third responsibility, whether in terms of scoring or creating chances in the 29th round.

Missing this weekend through injury or suspension are Dani de Wit, ruled out after accumulating yellow cards, while Victor Jensen (knee), Miguel Rodriguez, Mike Eerdhuijzen and Mike van der Hoorn are all expected to remain sidelined.

PSV Eindhoven possible starting lineup:

Kovar; Sildillia, Schouten, Obispo, Junior; Wanner, Veerman; Man, Saibari, Perisic; Pepi

FC Utrecht possible starting lineup:

Barkas; Nielsen, Didden, Viergever, El Karouani; Engwanda, Zechiel; Alarcon, Karlsson, Cathline; Stepanov

We say: PSV Eindhoven 2-2 FC Utrecht

With the visitors chasing European football and arriving in Eindhoven in fine fettle, this could turn into an open, end-to-end match.

Though the straightforward choice might be a PSV victory given their historical advantage, the current circumstances give Utrecht a real chance of avoiding defeat.

We back the Cupfighters to earn a point in Eindhoven in what could be a thrilling draw on Saturday.

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