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

PSV Eindhoven will look to bounce back and return to winning ways on Saturday when they host NAC Breda at the Philips Stadion in the Eredivisie.

The reigning champions come off a heavy defeat at St. James’s Park in the Champions League, while NAC Breda continue to struggle, having failed to secure a victory since the first day of November.

Match preview

PSV head into the weekend’s Eredivisie meeting with NAC Breda as firm favourites, a status earned through sustained dominance in the Dutch top flight this season, with the Eindhoven side sitting top of the table, 16 points clear of second-placed Feyenoord, and owning the league’s strongest record after losing just once in 19 matches, the fewest defeats of any Eredivisie team.

That authority has been built largely on relentless attacking output, with PSV currently the most prolific side in the division after scoring 59 goals in 19 league matches at an average of 3.1 per game, a figure that comfortably exceeds the league average of 30.8 goals per team and reflects their ability to control matches while converting chances at an elite rate.

PSV’s dominance is even more pronounced at the Philips Stadion, where they have won each of their last nine Eredivisie home matches against NAC Breda, reinforcing a long-standing superiority in this fixture and underlining why the hosts will approach Saturday’s contest confident of extending that run.

Recent form across competitions has been largely positive, with the Red and Whites PSV recording convincing domestic wins including a 5–1 league victory over Excelsior, a 2–1 away success at Fortuna Sittard, and a 2–0 win on the road against Heerenveen in December, results that underline their continued authority in domestic competition.

That momentum was briefly checked in midweek European action, however, as PSV suffered a 3–0 away defeat to Newcastle United in the Champions League on Wednesday, a setback that dented continental ambitions but left their commanding Eredivisie position unaffected.

Defensively solid and offensively fluid, PSV remain among the league leaders for goal difference at the halfway stage of the season, with contributions spread across the forward line allowing head coach Peter Bosz to rotate his attacking options without compromising output or cohesion.

Victory on Saturday would not only preserve PSV’s commanding lead at the summit but also reinforce momentum as the league resumes after the winter break, with consistency now crucial as the club pushes toward the decisive phase of the title race.

Historically, the fixture strongly favours PSV, who have won 76 of the 121 official meetings between the sides, with NAC Breda claiming 24 victories and 21 matches ending in draws, further emphasising the long-term pattern of Eindhoven dominance.

NAC Breda travel to the Philips Stadion under growing pressure as they continue to struggle for attacking momentum this season, having scored just 19 goals in 19 Eredivisie matches — the joint-lowest total in the league alongside Excelsior — at an average of one goal per game, a statistic that underlines persistent issues in front of goal.

Those problems have been magnified away from home, where NAC have failed to win any of their last nine league matches on the road and have also failed to score in each of their last three away fixtures, placing further emphasis on the need for greater efficiency if they are to challenge PSV this weekend.

Despite the team’s overall difficulties, Carl Hoefkens's have seen flashes of promise through individual performances, most notably from Moussa Soumano, who at 20 years and 192 days became the youngest NAC Breda player to score twice in a VriendenLoterij Eredivisie match since Stipe Perica achieved the feat in September 2014, offering a reminder of the talent within the squad.

The club has also sought to add experience during the winter window with the signing of former Nottingham Forest and Ghana international Andre Ayew, whose arrival is expected to bring leadership and composure in attack as Breda attempt to reverse their current trajectory.

Form across NAC’s last six competitive matches has been difficult, with the side collecting just two points during that period and showing recurring defensive fragility alongside limited attacking return across league and cup competition.

That run includes a dramatic 4–3 home defeat to NEC Nijmegen in their most recent outing, preceded by a goalless draw away to FC Groningen, narrow 1–0 losses at home to Telstar and away to Sparta Rotterdam, a 1–1 home draw with FC Utrecht, and a 1–0 away defeat to Excelsior in late November, a sequence in which NAC scored four goals and conceded eight.

The most recent Eredivisie meeting between the two sides further illustrates the gap this season, with PSV securing a narrow 1–0 victory away at Breda in November 2025, leaving NAC with another daunting task as they prepare to face the league leaders once again.

PSV Eindhoven Eredivisie form:

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PSV Eindhoven form (all competitions):

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NAC Breda Eredivisie form:

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NAC Breda form (all competitions):

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Team News

PSV are expected to be without a number of players for Saturday’s fixture, with Ruben van Bommel, Alassane Plea, Myron Boadu, Nick Olij, Ricardo Pepi and Sergino Dest all unlikely to feature due to ongoing injury issues, while Anass Salah-Eddine is a major doubt following his substitution with a suspected injury against Newcastle.

Ismael Saibari is back in the squad after more than a month following his involvement in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, where he reached the final as host Morocco lost to Senegal in extra time.

Bosz may also look to rotate his squad following the midweek defeat to Newcastle, with Bayern Munich coming to town on Wednesday, as he balances domestic priorities with the aim of keeping PSV among the top 24 in the Champions League, a position that would secure a place in the play-off round for the knockout phase.

NAC Breda also face selection concerns, with head coach Hoefkens Jean-Paul still unable to call upon Leo Greiml and Fredrik Jensen, both of whom are expected to miss Saturday’s encounter through injury.

Terence Kongolo will take no part as he continues to deal with an unspecified health issue; there is, however, a boost for Breda with Cherrion Valerius returning to the squad after serving a one-match suspension during last weekend’s dramatic 4–3 home defeat to NEC Nijmegen.

PSV Eindhoven possible starting lineup:

Kovar; Sildillia, Schouten, Flamingo, Obispo; Junior, Veerman, Til; Man, Saibari, Bajraktarevic

NAC Breda possible starting lineup:

Bielica; Kemper, Mahmutovic, Hillen, Valerius; Sowah, Balard, Holtby; Soumano, Brym, Van Hooijdonk

We say: PSV Eindhoven 3-1 NAC Breda

While PSV might prioritise their upcoming Champions League clash with Bayern over this league fixture given their 16-point lead, they have still won all of their last 13 Eredivisie matches.

NAC Breda face a tough challenge if they hope to become only the third visiting team to avoid defeat at the Philips Stadion this season, but despite the differing priorities, the hosts are expected to secure a routine victory on Saturday.

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