PSV Eindhoven will be looking to maintain their 100% record at the start of the Eredivisie campaign when they welcome FC Volendam to the Philips Stadion on Saturday evening.
The hosts have earned six straight wins at the beginning of the 2023-24 league term, whereas visitors Volendam are yet to secure their first maximum of the campaign ahead of this weekend.
Match preview
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PSV extended their winning run in the Eredivisie to six matches on Wednesday night with a comfortable 3-0 victory over a helpless Go Ahead Eagles side at Philips Stadion.
Rene Hake's men did very well to go into the half-time interval just the one goal behind, but second-half strikes from Luuk de Jong and Guus Til took the game completely into the hosts' control in Eindhoven.
Sitting top of the Eredivisie standings having collected a maximum of 18 points from their opening six contests, PSV are well and truly in the hunt for the Dutch title this term, alongside the likes of Feyenoord and AZ Alkmaar.
Peter Bosz is taking charge of a club for the first time since leaving Ligue 1 outfit Lyon in October 2022, and the 59-year-old is hoping to guide Eindhoven to their first league crown in six years.
The Dutch giants have recruited admirably during the summer transfer window, with the likes of Armel Bella-Kotchap and Hirving Lozano joining from Southampton and Napoli respectively.
After a 2-2 draw with Heracles last Saturday, Volendam remain alongside newly-promoted Almere City as the only two sides who are yet to pick up a win at the start of the 2023-24 season.
Despite this, a maiden point of the campaign at Kras Stadion was well-received, with goals from Benaissa Benamar and Robert Muhren helping the hosts come from two goals behind against John Lammers's charges.
Matthias Kohler has been promoted to first-team head coach following his spell as an assistant over the past two years, and the 32-year-old will have to use his little experience in management to guide the club towards first-tier safety.
Having collected just one point from their opening five matches, Volendam are currently 17th in the Eredivisie table, with only the aforementioned Almere below Kohler's side in the early-season standings.
The 2022-23 campaign was the visitors' first back at this level in over a decade, and finishing eight points above 16th-placed Emmen was a real achievement for the club.
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Team News
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PSV are set to be without the services of centre-back Armando Obispo, with the 24-year-old currently sidelined due to a serious knee injury picked up in March.
The hosts will also have to battle this weekend without left-back Mauro Junior, who has a knee injury and also possesses a one-match suspension carried over from last term.
After a successful loan spell in the Dutch second tier, Koen Blommestijn is back at Volendam and looking to cement his place as a first-team regular, however the attacker has missed all of the campaign to date with a knock.
A long-term absentee for the visitors on Saturday is right-back Oskar Buur, who has not featured for Kohler's side since the 3-2 defeat to PSV on April 16 last season.
PSV Eindhoven possible starting lineup:
Benitez; Teze, Silva, Boscagli, Van Aanholt; Veerman, Til, Saibari; Lozano, Lang, De Jong
FC Volendam possible starting lineup:
Backhaus; Plat, Mirani, Benamar, Flint; De Haan, Twigt; Ould-Chikh, Antonioli, Koul; Muhren
We say: PSV Eindhoven 2-0 FC Volendam
PSV have been sensational in the Eredivisie so far this term, and they will be extremely confident of making it seven wins in a row on Saturday afternoon.
Volendam did well to earn a draw against Heracles last time out, but a trip to Philips Stadion presents a much tougher assignment which is likely to end in defeat.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Carter White
