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

Match preview

PSV confirmed their place in the knockout phase of this season's Europa League courtesy of a 2-0 triumph over Premier League leaders Arsenal on Thursday.

Joey Veerman broke the deadlock for Ruud van Nistelrooy's men 10 minutes into the second period after which Luuk de Jong got on the score sheet just past the hour mark.

Prior to that, The Rood-Witten were thrashed 4-2 by Groningen in their most recent domestic outing and now trail Eredivisie leaders Ajax by four points in the table.

Lying in store next is the challenge of an opposing outfit who have lost 15 of the last 18 meetings between the teams across all competitions all the way back to 2009.

Having come out on top in six of their last seven matches on home turf, Sunday's hosts will fancy themselves to emerge victorious on their own patch once again.

NEC Nijmegen had to make do with a share of the spoils in their meeting against Go Ahead Eagles on Sunday which ended in a thrilling 3-3 stalemate.

Rogier Meijer's men opened the scoring through Oussama Tannane before they were stunned by goals from Isac Lidberg, Bobby Adekanye and Oliver Edvardsen after which Magnus Mattsson and Philippe Sandler struck late on to even matters.

The Eniesee have dropped down to 12th place in the league standings and now sit just three points clear of the relegation zone after 11 matches.

Currently with the best defensive record away from home in the entire division leading up to this weekend's clash, Sunday's visitors now prepare to take on a side averaging more than four goals per game in front of their fans.

PSV Eindhoven Eredivisie form:

W

W

L

W

W

L

PSV Eindhoven form (all competitions):

W

W

W

L

L

W

NEC Eredivisie form:

D

D

D

D

L

D

Team News

PSV's Olivier Boscagli continues to battle with a knee injury and the 24-year-old Frenchman is still a considerable way off making his comeback.

Yorbe Vertessen is also unavailable for the home side as he prepares to sit out a sixth match on the bounce through a muscle problem, while Ismael Saibari misses out through a thigh problem.

Luuk de Jong could be rewarded with a place in the starting lineup here having come off the bench to supply a goal and an assist last time out.

Mathias de Wolf remains sidelined with a long-term muscle problem which has seen the midfielder fail to feature for NEC Nijmegen since April.

Philippe Sandler has made consecutive substitute appearances since returning to action and will be pushing to get the nod right from the off this time.

PSV Eindhoven possible starting lineup:

Benitez; Mwene, Ramalho, Branthwaite, Max; Til, Sangare, Veerman; Gakpo, Simons, De Jong

NEC possible starting lineup:

Cillessen; Van Rooy, Sanniez, Marquez, Verdonk, El Karouani; Tannane, Schone, Mattsson; Duelund, Rosendo

We say: PSV Eindhoven 3-1 NEC

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