Avoiding a 10th consecutive league defeat is the main objective for VVV-Venlo when they host PSV Eindhoven on Sunday at De Koel.

For the visitors, securing second place is now the goal after mixed results in recent weeks have seen them fall off the pace in the race for the title.

Match preview

PSV resumed their league campaign after the international break with an emphatic 3-0 victory against Heracles on Sunday.

Donyell Malen, Denzel Dumfries, and Mohammed Ihattaren were all on target for Roger Schmidt's men as they showed exactly why their home record is the best in the division.

Their away record is not bad either, with only AZ Alkmaar and runaway leaders Ajax bettering their tally of 23 points so far.

The Rood-witten held on to second spot as a result of their most recent win, but there is still a long way to go with AZ and Vitesse bearing down on them.

Saturday's visitors go in search of a 10th win in 11 games against the hosts, who they beat 4-1 in December's reverse fixture at the Philips Stadion.

VVV were unable to move out of the bottom three as they lost 1-0 to Groningen on Saturday despite having a numerical advantage for 70 minutes in the game.

Azor Matusiwa was sent off for two bookable offences, but his side stole all three points late in the game through Mo El Hankouri's 87th-minute strike.

Jos Luhukay's men had the ball in the back of the net moments later before the goal was ruled out by the Video Assistant Referee.

The Yellow Black Army have now failed to pick up a league point since defeating Vitesse in the last week of January, but they are only in the drop zone on goal difference.

Team News

PSV's Ryan Thomas is expected to be unavailable for the clash having missed his side's last four games with a damaged ankle.

Mauro Junior is ruled out due to a knee injury, but he is now nearing a return to action after spending the last six weeks on the sidelines.

Also on the treatment table is 19-year-old Mees Kreekels, who will not be involved as he continues to nurse a leg injury.

Christos Donis is set to miss a fourth game on the bounce owing to a muscle injury which he sustained just under a month ago.

Lukas Schmitz is yet to make an appearance since the turn of the year, and it is highly unlikely that he features this weekend.

VVV-Venlo possible starting lineup:
Kirschbaum; Dekker, Da Graca, Gelmi, Pachonik; Linthorst, Janssen, Schafer, Machach; Van Crooy, Giakoumakis

PSV Eindhoven possible starting lineup:
Mvogo; Max, Boscagli, Teze, Dumfries; Rosario, Sangare, Thomas; Gakpo, Malen, Zahavi

We say: VVV-Venlo 1-3 PSV Eindhoven

VVV are low on confidence, which is understandable due to their run of recent results. PSV are not obliged to show any sympathy to their hosts, and we expect them to heap more misery on VVV by claiming all three points in this one.