Unblemished in 2025, Europe-chasing NEC welcome free-scoring Eredivisie leaders PSV Eindhoven to Goffertstadion in Saturday's gameweek 21 action, keen to record their third straight triumph this year.
While the league-leading side recorded a third consecutive victory in all competitions against an understrength Liverpool in the Champions League, the Peasants' top-flight form has been hit-and-miss since the turn of the year, giving the hosts hope of an upset.
Match preview
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NEC aim to take advantage of PSV's Champions League exertions in midweek when they welcome the title favourites this weekend, aiming to continue their push for European participation.
Rogier Meijer's 11th-placed side ended 2024 picking up one point from an available 15 to close out the year, including heavy losses to Go Ahead Eagles (5-0) and Willem II (4-1) either side of a 1-1 home draw with Sparta Rotterdam.
Since the turn of the year, though, the Nijmegen-based outfit have secured wins over PEC Zwolle and Fortuna Sittard, scoring five times and letting in one in 1-0 and 4-1 victories respectively.
The upshot of both triumphs mean Meijer's team could end gameweek 21 in the top eight, with two points separating them from Fortuna in eighth ahead of FSC taking on 10th-placed Heerenveen this weekend.
However, NEC's prospects will be contingent on repeating the previous season's shock 3-1 win over Peter Bosz's men, which is the home side's only victory over the Peasants in the last 10 meetings.
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PSV have dominated their head-to-head with NEC, highlighted by claiming nine wins in the past 10 matches, including a 2-0 success in mid-September.
Bosz's troops, fresh off securing a top 24 spot in the Champions League as one of the seeded sides in the knockout playoffs, are the undoubted favourites to notch a 17th success this term.
Although the Red and Whites have suffered a domestic dip in 2025, underscored by claiming one victory in three (one draw, one loss) heading into Saturday's clash, the free-scoring club atop the standings have netted nine goals in their last three in all competitions, securing 3-2 continental wins over Red Star Belgrade and Liverpool either side of a 3-2 Eredivisie triumph over NAC Breda.
Throw in the Boeren's 5-4 domestic cup success over Excelsior in mid-January, and their tag as the entertainers cannot be disputed, with Bosz's all-or-nothing approach to attacking football unrelenting.
While Ajax sit four points behind PSV, the table-topping side have played a game more, suggesting that their advantage could be lost if the league inconsistency to start 2025 persists.
Indeed, it will be fascinating to observe which version of the Peasants surfaces this weekend: the one to outscore their opponents in four of the last five in all competitions or the side that missed a surfeit of goalscoring chances in January's 3-1 loss at Zwolle.
Team News
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NEC, well rested after the postponement of last week's fixture with Twente, have no reported injury issues for PSV's visit, giving Meijer a healthy squad against the table-topping club.
Although the NBC have had five different goalscorers in 2025 — Koki Ogawa, Sami Ouaissa, Vito van Crooij, Calvin Verdonk and Thomas Ouwejan — most of the attacking responsibility rests on Ogawa, who aims to add to his seven Eredivisie goals on Saturday.
Ricardo Pepi, scorer and provider against Liverpool on Wednesday, will be assessed by PSV after going off with a seeming injury with 14 minutes of the 90 remaining; however, the trio of Malik Tillman, Noa Lang and Sergino Dest are anticipated to miss out due to injury or illness.
If Pepi is ruled out, the Red and Whites will rely on the match-winning expertise of Luuk de Jong, scorer of three match-winning league strikes — one behind teammate Pepi and NEC's Ogawa — with the towering forward aiming to add to his nine Eredivisie goals on Saturday.
While Ismael Saibari was among the goals against Liverpool, the Moroccan's assists numbers have been more eye-catching this term, and he could add to his eight when the defending champions visit Nijmegen.
NEC possible starting lineup:
Roefs; Pereira, Marquez, Sandler, Verdonk; Proper, Hoedemakers; Ouaissa, Crooij, Sano; Ogawa
PSV Eindhoven possible starting lineup:
Benitez; Ledesma, Flamingo, Boscagli, Junior; Veerman, Schouten; Bakayoko, Til, Saibiri; De Jong
We say: NEC 2-3 PSV Eindhoven
Bosz's commitment to attacking football will typically see his side score and concede and the Red and Whites' pattern should produce a goal-fest at NEC.
We back the table-topping side to edge another high-scoring affair in Nijmegen to record their 10th win in the last 11 against this weekend's hosts.
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