Every week, Gracenote finds out all about the matches PSV plays. With Sunday already the third time this year that PSV meets Ajax. PSV has been waiting thirteen games for a win against a top Dutch club. Yet a look at the past actually offers hope.
Positive balance
Sunday will mark the 130th time PSV and Ajax have faced each other in the Eredivisie. Of the previous 129 encounters, PSV won 53 times against 50 victories for the Amsterdammers. This makes PSV the only club in the Eredivisie with a positive record against Ajax (53W-26G-50V). At home, PSV won 32 of the 64 duels. The double of Ajax, the Amsterdammers went away with three points 16 times(32W-16G-16V).
Third time in two months
PSV and Ajax are not facing each other for the first time this year. In early January, it was 2-2 after two goals by Eran Zahavi in the opening period. Earlier this month, PSV lost 2-1 in the TOTO KNVB Beker. Both encounters took place in Amsterdam. Mario Götze was not there both times; he will be on Sunday. PSV gained 25 points (W8-G1-V0) in the nine games with Götze, as many as in the 14 games without the German (W7-G4-V3).
Unproductive
In its last four visits to PSV, Ajax scored only once. That happened last season when it ended 1-1. The three meetings before that were all won by PSV. The last Amsterdam victory in Eindhoven is from 2016. Then it was 2-0 for the Amsterdammers.
Roger Schmidt
Head coach Roger Schmidt took on Ajax at home once before. That was in 2014 when he was still coach of Red Bull Salzburg. In a knockout match in the Europa League at the time, he won 3-1 at home after already winning 3-0 in Amsterdam.
Suspension
Ibrahim Sangaré received his fifth yellow card against Vitesse. As a result, he is automatically suspended for the match against Ajax.