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

Eredivisie champions PSV Eindhoven welcome PEC Zwolle to Philips Stadion in Thursday’s top-flight action, aiming to continue their positive end to the season.

Already assured of the title, Peter Bosz’s men head into round 31 on the back of consecutive victories, and they seek a third at the expense of the draw specialists from Zwolle, whose safety is yet to be mathematically assured.

Match preview

Even though PSV’s 27th top-flight crown had already been sewn up before their recent 2-0 success over Sparta Rotterdam, that result extended their lead at the top of the standings to 19 points after Feyenoord played out another draw at third-placed NEC.

Bosz’s men were always primed to lift a third consecutive crown, having opened up a healthy lead over their Rotterdam challengers, but their stroll to a 27th honour seemed to be taking a negative turn when the Eindhoven giants were eliminated in the KNVB Beker semi-finals.

They lost 3-2 to NEC, followed by two defeats in three Eredivisie games, including another loss to the Nijmegen-based club and a 3-1 defeat away at Telstar.

Bosz’s troops have since responded with a rip-roaring 4-3 victory against FC Utrecht, against whom they trailed 2-0 before turning the game around and scoring a 94th-minute winner through Couhaib Driouech.

The Farmers have since defeated Sparta 2-0 for their first clean sheet since February’s 3-0 success over Feyenoord, and the Eredivisie champions enter Thursday’s match looking to secure consecutive shutouts in the league for the first time in 2026.

Aware that their hosts are seeking their first back-to-back clean sheets since November-December, Zwolle head into round 31 looking to deny the defending champions their first since the turn of the year.

That aspiration is easier said than done for Henry van der Vegt’s side, given the historical record in this fixture: the Zwolle-based club have suffered nine defeats in the last 10 meetings since December 2019.

The Bluefingers’ only victory during that period came in last season’s fixture in Zwolle, ending a run of 18 consecutive losses to the Dutch giants. Unable to secure a repeat win over Bosz’s men, PEC now head to Eindhoven on Thursday, looking to avoid defeat at a ground where they have been winless since January 2013’s 3-1 victory, a 13-year wait for a win at Philips Stadion.

A positive result of that sort will undoubtedly guarantee their safety in the division, with nine points left to play for after the next round of matches.

Thirteenth-placed Zwolle head into this gameweek nine points clear of the automatic relegation places and seven above 16th-placed Telstar in the play-off spot, all but guaranteeing that Blauwvingers will preserve their three-year top-flight status.

PSV Eindhoven Eredivisie form:

PSV Eindhoven form (all competitions):

PEC Zwolle Eredivisie form:

Team News

Paul Wanner will miss Thursday’s fixture after picking up a yellow card against Sparta, while Alassane Plea, Ruben van Bommel and Jerdy Schouten are injured.

The Eindhoven giants will assess Ismael Saibari following his late withdrawal against Sparta on April 11, while Sergino Dest could make his first appearance since early March after a hamstring injury.

If top-scoring Saibari (15 goals) misses out, Bosz still has several game-deciding stars in the side, with Guus Til (13 goals) and Ricardo Pepi (11) capable of match-winning contributions.

While Jasper Schendelaar is absent for the Zwolle-based side due to a thigh injury, the away side will assess Shola Shoretire’s knee injury and the muscle complaints of Jamiro Monteiro and Samir Lagsir.

Even though Koen Kostons remains the Bluefingers’ leading marksman, the 11-goal forward has scored just once since a brace against Telstar in January.

Thijs Oosting, though, is capable of match-deciding contributions too, with the attacking midfielder tallying eight this term, three of which have come in as many appearances.

PSV Eindhoven possible starting lineup:

Kovar; Sidillia, Flamingo, Gasiorowski, Junior; Fernandez, Veerman; Man, Til, Perisic; Pepi

PEC Zwolle possible starting lineup:

De Graaff; Aertssen, Graves, McNulty, Floranus; Thomas, Buurmeester; Namli, Oosting, Velanas; Kostons

We say: PSV Eindhoven 3-1 PEC Zwolle

PSV should have too much attacking quality for Zwolle, especially at Philips Stadion, where the champions have so often imposed themselves in this fixture.

Even if the visitors remain competitive for spells and prevent the Eindhoven giants from keeping consecutive clean sheets, Bosz’s side are expected to pull clear and claim a routine victory.

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