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

PSV Eindhoven will entertain the challenge of FC Zurich on Thursday evening aiming to pick up a second Europa League victory on the bounce.

Meanwhile, the away side make the journey to the Philips Stadion still in search of their first point in this season's edition of Europe's secondary club competition.

Match preview

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PSV Eindhoven returned to winning ways in the Eredivisie courtesy of a narrow 1-0 triumph over Heerenveen at the Abe Lenstra Stadion on Sunday.

Ruud Van Nistelrooy's men were in the ascendancy for major spells of the contest but had to wait until the 75th minute to take the lead through Cody Gakpo.

The Rood-Witten remain third in the league standings, two points behind current leaders AZ Alkmaar with defending champions Ajax sandwiched in between the teams.

Coming up next is a second meeting in seven days against an opposing outfit who will be aiming to make amends for an embarrassing 5-1 defeat when the sides faced off last week.

Having lost just one competitive match on home turf since the third week of April, Thursday's hosts will be confident of picking up another positive result in front of their fans.

Zurich had to make do with a point for the second league game running following a goalless stalemate against Winterthur at the Letzigrund Stadion on Sunday.

Bo Henriksen's men had the lion's share of the ball possession as well as territorial advantage but failed to find the all important breakthrough.

With just four points from 10 matches this term, the Swiss Champions remain rooted to the bottom of the Super League table and are in need of a change in fortune.

Winless in their most recent four outings on the road, Thursday's visitors now head into a must-win contest away from home as they approach the last-chance saloon to preserve their European campaign

Team News

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Yorbe Vertessen and Ismael Saibari both came off injured for PSV in the first half against Heerenveen, making them major doubts for this one.

Twenty-year-old Noni Madueke is still sidelined with an ankle injury, while Luuk de Jong is set to miss a 10th straight game through a calf problem.

Olivier Boscagli is also ruled out for the home side due to a knee injury which has seen the Frenchman fail to feature since April.

Defender Ilan Sauter remains without an appearance for Zurich this term as the Switzerland international continues his spell on the treatment table.

The visitors will also have to make do with the absence of Becir Omeragic and Miguel Reichmuth, although the latter is drawing increasingly closer to a return to action.

PSV Eindhoven possible starting lineup:

Benitez; Max, Obispo, Ramalho, Mwene; Veerman, Til, Sangare; Gakpo, Simons, El-Ghazi

FC Zurich possible starting lineup:

Kostadinovic; Mets, Katic, Kamberi; Selnaes, Guerrero, Dzemaili, Krasniqi, Boranijasevic; Aiyegun, Marchesano

We say: PSV Eindhoven 3-1 FC Zurich

Zurich have struggled at both ends of the pitch all-season long and it is hard to see them avoiding defeat here. PSV, on the other hand, have been fearsome in front of goal, and we fancy them to cruise to a comfortable victory.

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