PSV Eindhoven host eternal rivals AFC Ajax on Sunday knowing that a failure to defeat their fellow UEFA Europa League contenders will equal the club's worst start to an Eredivisie season in 44 years.
Differing results
Fred Rutten's team have drawn their first two games of the campaign – 3-3 at home to VVV Venlo and 1-1 at last season's runners-up, FC Twente – while leaders Ajax are one of two clubs to have opened with successive victories. A failure to take three points from Martin Jol's charges would not only stretch PSV's winless run to three league matches but also emulate an unwanted record the club set in 1965/1966.
Big gap
PSV did, however, showed signs of improvement in recovering from a goal down at Twente and Rutten is hopeful of carrying that into this weekend. "When you lose points in the first few matches as PSV coach you cannot be satisfied," he said, well aware that his team could be seven points adrift of their opponents come full-time. "But I saw a well-organised PSV against Twente. We now have to show more guts and if we do that, then we can move forward.
Attacking outlook
"I wanted to play more offensive and for PSV to show more determination," said Rutten, who demonstrated that by bringing on striker Danny Koevermans for defender Dirk Marcellis after half an hour last week. "This has been in my mind for some time and it could be a permanent solution." The pitch at the PSV Stadion will certainly be conducive to helping Rutten achieve that. This week the surface was named as the best in the top flight following a ballot of all Eredivisie captains.
Perfect record
Despite the stuttering start, Rutten – who is expected to be without summer signing Orlando Engelaar because of a knee injury – has extended PSV's unbeaten Eredivisie record to nine matches, a league-leading run stretching back to 15 March. While the visitors cannot match that, they do sit atop the table thanks to defeats of FC Groningen and RKC Waalwijk and will be out settle a score after losing 6-2 at PSV last season.
'Team to beat'
Ajax midfielder Urby Emanuelson said: "I have seen PSV play. Things are not running so smoothly for them yet, but we all know that every team can raise their game against us – we noticed that a lot last season. We will travel in good spirits to Eindhoven. We are the team to beat."
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