Saturday brings us a David vs. Goliath clash in the Eredivisie, with defending champions PSV Eindhoven playing host to a struggling Almere City at Philips Stadion.
This is a must-win fixture for the hosts to keep the pressure on league leaders Ajax, while three points for the visitors could be crucial in helping them avoid the drop.
Match preview
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With just six games left to play in the 2024-25 season and nine points separating them from Ajax, the equation for PSV from here until the end of the campaign is simple: win at all costs.
Not only is winning their remaining games key to their hopes of defending their league title, but it could also be crucial in qualifying for the Champions League next season, with Feyenoord just five points behind them in third place.
After suffering that painful defeat to the league leaders directly after the international break, the Boeren bounced back well with a solid performance last weekend, beating Groningen 3-1 on the road.
Malik Tillman gave them the lead at Euroborg just 11 minutes into the match, and Ivan Perisic doubled their advantage before the half-hour mark, while Johan Bakayoko secured the points with their third of the afternoon after Dave Kwakman pulled one back for the hosts.
PSV are unsurprisingly massive favourites in this contest and will be determined to get back to winning ways on their home patch after their 40-match unbeaten home league run was ended by de Godenzonen in their last game here at Philips Stadion.
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Meanwhile, after successfully negotiating their first campaign in the top flight last term, Almere City are now the odds-on favourites to suffer the drop this season, having only managed 19 points in 28 games to date.
De Zwarte Schapen have not thrown in the towel just yet, though, and pulled off an incredible comeback from two goals down to salvage a late draw against PEC Zwolle on the road last weekend.
Jeroen Rijsdijk's side have now avoided defeat in three consecutive matches for the first time this season, and if they are able to get something from this match, it will give them huge momentum leading up to their three-game homestand against Go Ahead Eagles, Sparta and Fortuna Sittard.
However, the visitors have been no match for the champs in past encounters, losing all four previous meetings, including a 7-1 hammering at Yanmar Stadion in the reverse fixture back in August last year.
Team News
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Malik Tillman marked his return to the starting lineup in some style by scoring the opening goal last week, and he will likely be retained in midfield alongside Joey Veerman and Ismael Saibari.
Johan Bakayoko will be pushing for a start after his impressive cameo off the bench against Groningen, but Ivan Perisic, Luuk de Jong and Noa Lang have been the preferred front three since the team's Champions League exit.
Lucas Perez is likely to miss the rest of the season after being diagnosed with tuberculosis, while Ricardo Pepi and Jerdy Schouten are ruled out for the foreseeable future due to injury.
Almere City will have to make do without the services of Jochem Ritmeester van de Kamp, who is suspended for this match after receiving his fifth yellow card of the season last week against PEC Zwolle.
The only other confirmed absentee this week for the visitors is midfielder Alex Carbonell, who has now missed the last nine games dating back to the end of February with a hamstring injury.
PSV Eindhoven possible starting lineup:
Benitez; Ledezma, Flamingo, Boscagli, Junior; Tillman, Veerman, Saibari; Perisic, De Jong, Lang
Almere City possible starting lineup:
Bakker; Martins, Visus, Lawrence, Zagaritis; Haye, Tahiri; Kadile, Robinet, Hansen; Brym
We say: PSV Eindhoven 4-1 Almere City
Almere City have shown tremendous fighting spirit over the last month, but they were thumped 7-1 by this opponent in the reverse fixture, and we feel they could be in for another big loss in this one.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Devesh Jaganath
