PSV resumes the league Sunday afternoon with an away game against VVV-Venlo. Where PSV is in good form, the same can be said of VVV. The promoter lost only once and is in a surprising seventh place.
41 years without defeat
VVV is an opponent that historically suits PSV well. PSV has not lost to the Limburgers for 27 Eredivisie matches in a row. The last defeat dates from September 12, 1976. VVV won 2-0 in De Koel. Against no other opponent has VVV waited that long for a victory. Only against FC Utrecht and NAC Breda has PSV ever had a longer series.
First goals Locadia
It has been over five years since this premier league game in Venlo. At the time, PSV won 6-0 thanks to hat tricks by Dries Mertens and Jürgen Locadia. For Locadia, those were his first goals in the Eredivisie. In the last six Eredivisie encounters between the two teams, VVV failed to score five times. The only match in which they did was in 2011. VVV scored three goals then and kept a point from that game.
Favorable prospects
PSV's prospects seem favorable, as the team has not had a very difficult time visiting promoted clubs in recent years. The last thirteen away games yielded three points. RKC Waalwijk in 2012 was the last promoter not to concede any points at home. But PSV must guard against underestimation, as VVV-Venlo have the best league start of any promoted club since the same RKC Waalwijk in the 2011-2012 season.