PSV Eindhoven vs Excelsior Rotterdam Prediction: Ruud van Nistelrooy's Charges Are An Unassailable Force When Playing At Home

PSV Eindhoven will look to emulate their 6:1 win against Excelsior Rotterdam in the reverse fixture when they host them at the Philips Stadion for the 28th round of the Eredivisie.

Excelsior Rotterdam have had a horrible run of results away from home, with only one win in 13 games; will they be able to put their poor away form behind them and outplay an in-form PSV Eindhoven on their own turf, or will they succumb to a convincing defeat?

Let's have a look at the latest Netherlands Eredivisie predictions between PSV Eindhoven vs Excelsior Rotterdam, team news, probable lineups, match facts and up to date betting odds for you to consider!

PSV Eindhoven

Form: WDWWW

Ruud van Nistelrooy's men breezed through the KNVB Cup semi-finals, triumphing 2:1 on the road against Tweede Divisie team SV Spakenburg, who proved to be a worthy opponent in that match, displaying a much-needed fighting spirit.

Prior to that, they put on a dominant first-half performance against NEC Nijmegen on the road, scoring three unanswered goals with Luuk de Jong breaking the deadlock 7 minutes in, but he didn't stop there, as he also scored the game-winning goal in the 50th minute to set himself up with a brace, completing the day with a 4:2 victory.

While the majority of their success this season has been based on their laudable performances at the Philips Stadion, where they have recorded one loss in 13 games and have collected 34 points, it's also worth noting that since their defeat to Dick Lukkien's FC Emmen on the road (1:0), they have gone unbeaten in 9 games (W6 D3 L0), a run that has seen the Farmers reap what they've sown: consistency.

The Farmers, who now sit in third place with 56 points, tied with second place Ajax Amsterdam's will be vying for another three points which may see them hold second place for the time being, as well as the opportunity to widen the point gap between them and fourth-place AZ Alkmaar to five points.

Team News

Thorgan Hazard will be available for selection for PSV Eindhoven ahead of this match.

In terms of injuries, Ruud van Nistelrooy has a slew of unavailable players to call on ahead of this match, with Fode Fofana (muscle injury), Walter Benitez (knee injury), Armando Obispo (knee injury), and Mauro Junior (knee injury) all ruled out.

Probable Starting XI

Formation: 4-3-3

Drommel; Van Aanholt, Boscagli, Ramalho, Mwene; Veerman, Gutierrez, Til; Simons, Hazard, De Jong

Excelsior Rotterdam

Form: WLLLL

With their fate in their hands, The Kralingers did themselves justice by putting it to good use in their latest home match against FC Twente, when they were considered underdogs to succumb to a convincing defeat but managed to salvage a crucial point in a scoreless draw.

They were once on a five-match losing streak before posting their current two-match unbeaten run that included a win and a draw, it goes without saying that it was a chastening experience for Marinus Dijkhuizen and his men, who are gradually rebuilding a somewhat consistent form that will undoubtedly take some time to get back on track.

The Kralingers' record on the road has been dreadful; they have just one win in their last 13 away games, recording eleven losses, and a draw. It's also important to note that they are currently on a eight-match losing streak, which is not a record they want to enter in this match against a team that humiliated them 6:1 this season.

With 7 wins, 3 draws, and 17 defeats in their last 27 games, they are currently in the relegation playoffs, occupying the 16th spot with 24 points, level on points with Vitesse (14) and FC Emmen (15). Their upcoming games against Go Ahead Eagles and Vitesse will undoubtedly require them to avoid losing any more points if they are to distance themselves from the danger zone.

Team News

Excelsior Rotterdam will be missing regular absentee Jacky Donkor, who is out with a knee injury, as well as Vicente Besuijen, Adrian Fein, and Maxime Awoudja, who are all questionable for this match.

Probable Starting XI

Formation: 4-2-3-1

Van Gassel; Zagre, El Yaakoubi, Nieuwpoort, Horemans; Baas, Koopmeiners; Driouech, Goudmijn, Lamprou; Agrafiotis

Match Facts

• PSV Eindhoven has won eight consecutive games against Excelsior.
• PSV Eindhoven is undefeated in six home games in the Eredivisie.
• PSV Eindhoven averages 3.23 goals per game at home, while Excelsior Rotterdam averages 0.62 goals per game away.

Head-To-Head

PSV Eindhoven has won 19 of the last 21 matches, Excelsior Rotterdam has won 0 times, and there have been 2 draws with a goal difference of 67-15 in favor of PSV Eindhoven.

Expert Betting Tips

PSV Eindhoven has been given a golden opportunity to maintain their position in the standings while frustrating second-place Ajax Amsterdam, who have begun to show signs of struggle, by putting more pressure on them as they aim for a second-place finish while keeping their title hopes alive.

Marinus Dijkhuizen will take comfort in the fact that despite his team's away wobbles, they've started showing signs of a fighting spirit to distance themselves from the drop zone, and just a few words of encouragement will definitely ignite that burning desire to see them motivated to record a positive result against high-flying PSV Eindhoven. 

PSV Eindhoven is the clear favorite with bookmakers, and betting on them could be a fruitful move in this matchup. As such, back them to score an individual total of over 3.5 goals. This is because they are the second-best team in the Eredivisie in terms of offensive workrate, scoring 71 goals in 27 games, and they have scored three or more goals in 3 of their last seven meetings against Excelsior Rotterdam.

• Total 1 (Goals) - Over 3.5 for 2.13
• Goals - Over 3.5 for 1.67
• Corners - Over 10 for 1.90