Liverpool’s upcoming Champions League opponents, PSV Eindhoven, extended their unbeaten run to 11 matches with a 1-0 win over NAC Breda at the weekend.
After defeat against Nottingham Forest, Liverpool won’t receive any respite as PSV come to Anfield on Wednesday, with the Dutch champions enjoying an excellent run of form.
PSV have picked up five points in their opening four Champions League matches, losing to Club Brugge on the opening night but subsequently beating Napoli and drawing against Leverkusen and Olympiacos.
Domestically, though, they have been imperious, winning 11 of their first 13 Eredivisie matches this season on their way to opening up a six-point gap to second-place Feyenoord.
Meanwhile, usual rivals Ajax are another eight points further back after a tumultuous start to the campaign that saw ex-Liverpool coach John Heitinga sacked as manager just 13 games into his reign.
PSV beat NAC Breda 1-0
EINDHOVEN, NETHERLANDS - Wednesday, January 29, 2025: PSV flags seen before during the UEFA Champions League Matchday 8 game between PSV Eindhoven and Liverpool FC at the Philips Stadion. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
With coach Peter Bosz at the helm, PSV made the short drive to 16th-place Breda possessing just two injuries with which to contend.
Striker Alassanne Plea was out injured with cartilage damage, as was winger Ruben van Bommel who suffered a serious knee injury in September’s 2-2 draw at home to Ajax.
While PSV may be clear leaders at the top in the Netherlands, they were dealt a difficult task on their trip to the Rat Verlegh Stadion on Saturday.
The hosts arguably had the better chances in the first half, but PSV top scorer Guus Till, who hopes to go to next summer’s World Cup, got the only goal.
His ninth goal of the season came after 35 minutes and in the form of a well-taken header from Ivan Perisic’s inswinging cross.
PSV XI vs. Breda: Kovar; Dest, Schouten, Gasiorowski, Salah-Eddine; Mauro Junior, Veerman; Man, Saibari, Perisic; Til
Liverpool lost 3-2 to PSV last season
EINDHOVEN, NETHERLANDS - Wednesday, January 29, 2025: Liverpool's Harvey Elliott (R) is challenged by PSV Eindhoven's Olivier Boscagli during the UEFA Champions League Matchday 8 game between PSV Eindhoven and Liverpool FC at the Philips Stadion. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
It hasn’t been long since Liverpool met PSV, so Arne Slot and his staff should know roughly what to expect.
Last season, the Reds went to the Philips Stadion in their final league phase match. Having already qualified in the top two, the coach fielded a young team including the likes of James McConnell and Jayden Danns.
Despite this, Liverpool took the lead but were eventually beaten 3-2 by PSV who celebrated joyfully at full time after producing some showboating antics towards the end.
Coach Bosz wasn’t pleased, however, saying: “I thought it was terrible.
“It really annoys me. It’s misplaced, they shouldn’t do that. It was a kind of rondo they played there, with a back heel and a no-look pass.
“If I had been in that position, I would have sawed them off below the knees. You just shouldn’t do that. I don’t think it’s respectful to the opponent. I haven’t spoken to them about it yet, but I will.
“I do like entertaining the crowd, but in a different way. I think we would have entertained the crowd before without all that craziness.”
While the Reds are in poor form, PSV face a much tougher test this time around in theory.
If there comes a point when they are able to showboat at Anfield, it will have been a very dark night for Liverpool indeed.