Eredivisie | Gameweek 17

Dec 22, 2024 at 1.30pm UK

Philips Stadion

PSVvs.Feyenoord

Match preview

PSV remain the clear favourites to retain their title this season, but their lead at the top of the table was cut to six points last weekend when they suffered a 1-0 defeat away to Heerenveen.

It was the Boeren's second defeat of the campaign, one more than they suffered in the whole of last season, and followed a 1-0 loss to Brest in the Champions League four days earlier, marking the first time they have lost two in a row since October 2022.

However, Peter Bosz's men returned to winning ways in midweek when they thrashed lowly Koninklijke HFC at the KNVB Beker by eight goals to book their place in the third round of the competition.

It is worth noting that both of PSV's defeats this month have come away from home, while they have been flawless at home this season, winning all seven of their top-flight matches to date and scoring two or more goals in each of those victories.

The hosts have been particularly ruthless at the Philips Stadion in recent months, scoring 17 goals in their last three games at the venue alone, while the last time they were beaten at home in the league was in November 2022.

Meanwhile, Feyenoord were the only team to challenge PSV for the title last season, finishing seven points behind the Red and Whites, while third-placed Twente finished 22 points behind the champions.

De club aan de Maas reduced their gap to the leaders to single digits last week with an emphatic 5-2 home win over bottom side Heracles.

Santiago Gimenez scored a first-half hat-trick to put his side 3-1 up at the break, before David Hancko and Suf Podgoreanu completed the rout in the second period.

Brian Priske's men then overcame MVV 2-1 at the KNVB Beker in midweek to record their fourth successive win in all competitions and their eighth match unbeaten since the start of November.

While the hosts are unbeaten in the last five league games between the two sides, the visitors won the Super Cup at the start of the season, took a point away at this venue in March and knocked the league champions out of the domestic cup last season - all results that will give them plenty of confidence going into this encounter.

Recent Performance

PSV Eindhoven Eredivisie form:LWWWWL

PSV Eindhoven form (all competitions):WWWLLW

Feyenoord Eredivisie form:WWWDWW

Feyenoord form (all competitions):DDWWWW

Team News

PSV will be without three players through injury, including long-term absentee Sergino Dest (cruciate ligament tear), Adamo Nagalo (shoulder) and Couhaib Driouech (ankle).

Ricardo Pepi was handed a start in midweek and scored twice in the big cup win, which could see him retained in the starting eleven this weekend, possibly at the expense of Luuk de Jong.

Feyenoord, meanwhile, could be without as many as six players for the game, with Quilindschy Hartman, Ayase Ueda and Julian Carranza all expected to miss the start of the new year.

Gijs Smal and Igor Paixao are doubts after missing the last three games with hamstring injuries, while Jordan Lotomba is likely to miss the rest of the season with a broken leg.

Possible starting lineup

PSV Eindhoven possible starting lineup:

Benitez; Karsdorp, Flamingo, Boscagli, Junior; Saibari, Til, Veerman; Tillman, Pepi, Perisic

Feyenoord possible starting lineup:

Wellenreuther; Read, Beelen, Hancko, Bueno; Milambo, Zerrouki, Timber; Stengs, Gimenez, Moussa