PSV will play its first game of 2022 next Sunday against FC Groningen. The team finished the first half of this season as winter champions and is eager to maintain this position. Looking at history, FC Groningen is a good opponent for that. The club won its last seven Eredivisie matches against the Groningers.
Longest series
This series is PSV's longest sequence of victories against the Groningers in the Eredivisie. PSV's last defeat against FC Groningen was on March 29, 2014. At that time it was 2-3 in Eindhoven in the Eredivisie. Since then, PSV is unbeaten against Groningen in all competitions (W11-G5-V0).
Previous encounters
Earlier this season, PSV won 5-2 over FC Groningen at home in the Eredivisie. Cody Gakpo was involved in three hits with one goal and two assists.
Top scorers
Yorbe Vertessen and Cody Gakpo are PSV's top scorers in the Eredivisie this season with both scoring six goals. Vertessen scored four of his six goals as a substitute.-
Leader
PSV entered the winter break as the Eredivisie leader with one point ahead of Ajax. Of the last three times the Eindhoveners were at the top of the Eredivisie at the winter break, two seasons (2014-2015 and 2017-2018) also saw them eventually become champions.
22 points
PSV won seven of its last eight Eredivisie matches, gaining 22 points. Competitors Ajax, Feyenoord Vitesse, AZ and FC Twente gained 17 points in that period.
Old friend
Ritsu Doan played 61 Eredivisie matches for FC Groningen between 2017 and 2019. He scored 15 goals during that period.
New acquisition
PSV starts the first game of the year with a new addition to the squad. Joey Veerman made the direct transfer from sc Heerenveen to PSV last month. Players who preceded him included Ruud van Nistelrooy, Gerald Sibon and Denzel Dumfries.