Burkina Faso
Czech Republic
Indonesia
Lithuania
Montenegro
Nigeria
North Macedonia

RKC Waalwijkvs.PSV

sportsmole.co.uk, 13 March 2025, 23:08
With their Eredivisie table hopes now hanging by a thread, PSV Eindhoven will go in search of a crucial victory when they head to the Mandemakers Stadion on Saturday to face off against RKC Waalwijk.

While the visitors are running out of time to defend their league crown, the home side are currently up against it in the battle for survival and have little margin for error from here on out.

Match preview

Having already suffered a humiliating 7-1 defeat to Arsenal in the first leg of the sides' Champions League last-16 clash, PSV played out a 2-2 stalemate in Wednesday's largely inconsequential meeting at the Emirates Stadium.

Goals from former loanee Oleksandr Zinchenko and Declan Rice saw Peter Bosz's men go 1-0 and 2-1 down, but they managed to hit back on either occasion through Ivan Perisic and Couhaib Driouech.

Off the back of a difficult couple of weeks that have resulted in Champions League and KNVB Beker exits, as well as the loss of top spot in the Eredivisie table, PSV have seen their season deteriorate of late and have only a UCL spot for next season as their biggest takeaway as things stand.

Currently eight points shy of Ajax with just nine games left to play, the defending champions are faced with a near insurmountable task of usurping their biggest rivals, but with the teams still to meet before the close of the month, they just about retain a faint chance of securing a second straight title.

Given their active streak of 11 straight wins against this weekend's opponents, the away side will be confident of coming away with a much-needed victory to heap a bit of pressure on Ajax ahead of their huge clash against AZ Alkmaar.

Waalwijk were on the receiving end of back-to-back league losses for the first time since the turn of the year, courtesy of a crushing 2-1 defeat against Fortuna Sittard when the sides locked horns at the end of February.

Despite boasting just under two-thirds of the ball possession, Henk Fraser's men went into second-half stoppage time trailing to an Alessio Da Cruz opener but looked like they had managed to secure a point through Silvester van der Water before Ryan Fosso netted a dramatic winner.

It seems a long time ago that Waalwijk claimed three straight victories against Willem II, Almere City and NAC Breda to ignite their relegation battle, but any momentum from that winning run has now gone down the drain.

Still seven points adrift of safety with 10 matches left, starting with this weekend's affair, RKC are staring down the barrel of top-flight relegation, and in truth, the handwriting had been on the wall for a long time.

Nonetheless, Saturday's hosts will keep fighting until the very end, but their task is set to be further complicated by daunting clashes against AZ Alkmaar, FC Utrecht and Feyenoord still on the horizon.

RKC Waalwijk Eredivisie form:

D

W

W

W

L

L

PSV Eindhoven Eredivisie form:

W

D

D

D

L

W

PSV Eindhoven form (all competitions):

W

L

L

L

W

D

Team News

Dario Van den Buijs is ruled out of contention for Waalwijk due to an injury he picked up against Feyenoord in early December and has not featured since then.

Twenty-seven-year-old Yanick van Osch is also unavailable to play any part this weekend and is joined on the hosts' treatment table by Daouda Weidmann.

Forwards Fode Fofana and Ricardo Pepi are currently down with respective knee injuries, ruling them out of contention for PSV Eindhoven on Saturday.

Youngster Wessel Kuhn has missed the last three games with muscle issues and is not expected to be back in time to feature for the away side this weekend.

Long-term absentee Malik Tillman is still a considerable way off making a comeback, although the midfielder is likely to return to the fray before the season draws to a close.

RKC Waalwijk possible starting lineup:

Houwen; Familia-Castillo, Van Gelderen, Lelieveld, Al Mazyani; Oukili, El Yaakoubi, Van de Loo; Margaret, Kramer, Ihattaren

PSV Eindhoven possible starting lineup:

Benitez; Mauro Jr., Boscagli, Flamingo, Ledezma; Schouten, Saibari; Perisic, Til, Lang; De Jong

We say: RKC Waalwijk 1-3 PSV Eindhoven

PSV have been far from their best of late but still possess more than enough quality to see off Waalwijk.

Written by

Adepoju Marvellous

Previews by email
Show more

Top News

18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk For the first time in the CONCACAF Nations League, Canada and Mexico will face each other, with a spot in the final at stake on Thursday at SoFi Stadium. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk In the first semi-final of the 2024-25 CONCACAF Nations League, the reigning three-time champions, the USA, host Panama on Thursday at SoFi Stadium in California. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk On Thursday Jordan will look to climb into a top two position when they host Palestine at Amman International Stadium on matchday seven of the World Cup 2026 qualification cycle for both teams. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid are reportedly prepared to step up their pursuit of Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen over the international break. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United have reportedly included Victor Osimhen on a four-man striker shortlist for the summer transfer window. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Ipswich Town have reportedly been impressed by Hearts striker Lawrence Shankland but could face competition from Sunderland for his signature. 17 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk The first international break of the year will see Liberia take on Tunisia at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex this Wednesday in the fifth round of the CAF 2026 World Cup qualifiers. 17 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk The first clash in this international break's double-header sees the Central African Republic face Madagascar at Larbi Zaouli Stadium in neutral Morocco on Wednesday in the fifth round of the CAF 2026 World Cup qualifying series. 17 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool are reportedly prepared to consider selling Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz as it emerges they have seemingly made contact with Newcastle United forward Alexander Isak. 17 March 2025 talksport.com A Bulgarian first division team held a minute's silence for a former player... only to later discover he's still alive. 17 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Lionel Messi has been omitted from Argentina's squad list for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil. 17 March 2025 talksport.com After some backlash to his claims that he's the greatest player of all time, Cristiano Ronaldo has some support in the opposition dugout. 17 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Reigning European champions Barcelona Women will head to Germany for Wednesday's Women's Champions League clash against Wolfsburg Women. 17 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Just a few days after they face off in the Women's League Cup final, Manchester City Women will lock horns with Chelsea Women in the first leg of the Women's Champions League quarter-finals. 17 March 2025 talksport.com Crystal Palace sporting director Dougie Freedman has left the club, the Premier League side have announced. 17 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City expert Steven McInerney from Esteemed Kompany is a "big fan" of Oscar Bobb and is delighted to see the youngster edging closer to a first-team return after being "robbed of a year" due to injury. 17 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool should prioritise Virgil van Dijk's contract renewal over Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, former Reds striker Emile Heskey has told Sports Mole. 17 March 2025 talksport.com The first major question surrounding Thomas Tuchel as England manager has been answered. 17 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher is allegedly attracting interest from another Premier League club. 17 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal's Bukayo Saka is reportedly targeting a long-awaited return from a hamstring injury in time for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final with Real Madrid. 17 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly identified another two potential replacements for head coach Ange Postecoglou. 17 March 2025 talksport.com Robbie Fowler is hopeful Trent Alexander-Arnold will remain at Liverpool this summer. 17 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool allegedly have plans to entertain offers for at least one of their regular attacking players during the summer transfer window. 17 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City expert Steven McInerney from Esteemed Kompany believes that the performance of Omar Marmoush against Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend has sent a "slight warning" to his out-of-form teammate Phil Foden. 17 March 2025 talksport.com Liverpool should be pursuing Newcastle's Alexander Isak, regardless of Mohamed Salah's future at Anfield. 17 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk The elusive quadruple that Liverpool fans are still pining for remains out of sight for now, but come the sunshine of May, Arne Slot and his crop will surely be proudly parading their Premier League trophy. 17 March 2025 talksport.com Sergio Ramos' cheeky post on social media proved he is well aware of his reputation for being a red card magnet. 17 March 2025 talksport.com Simon Jordan dubbed Martin Keown a 'clown' during a furious clash over Liverpool and Arsenal's trophy hopes live on talkSPORT. 17 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool are likely to at least resolve the contract situations of Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk in the coming months, Reds expert David Lynch has claimed. 17 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea have reportedly already decided whether they intend to sign Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho on a permanent basis.