PSV vs Sparta Rotterdam Predictions

• PSV’s Eredivisie outings average a league-high 4.4 goals per game this season.
• Two thirds of Sparta’s away league games produced over 2.5 total goals.
• Both teams have scored in five of the last six H2H encounters.

No Gakpo, no problem

Although PSV have lost one of their biggest stars, Cody Gakpo, to Liverpool after his brilliant World Cup for the Netherlands, the Eindhoveners return to league action with a point to prove given that just three points separate the ‘Big Three’ sides ahead of this round.

Gakpo was the leading scorer in the Eredivisie ahead of the round but with the likes of teenage sensation Xavi Simons, who has eight goals in 14 league appearances and Guus Til (five goals), there is still plenty to get excited about for Ruud van Nistelrooy’s men.

PSV’s only wobble at home came in their most recent game here as AZ Alkmaar ended their perfect home league record right before the winter break (W6, L1). Even so, the hosts have scored an unsurprising league-high 25 goals in just seven games here, that’s an incredible 3.6 per match on average!

Sparta can play their part in a thriller

It’s been a mixed bag of results on the road for Sparta Rotterdam this season (W2, D2, L2), but their only other away game against a Big Three side this season ended in a comprehensive 3-0 defeat at De Kuip against their city rivals, Feyenoord.

Visiting manager Maurice Steijn probably won’t lose any sleep over another defeat in this fixture as he’s lost all of his prior 11 personal encounters with PSV, that’s his worst record against any side in his career to date.

We’re sticking with the hosts to come up trumps here but with little value on offer, we can bump the price up a little bit with a win & over 2.5 goals selection. As for the correct score, we wouldn’t be surprised to see a fairly routine 3-1 victory for Ruud van Nistelrooy’s men.

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