PSV can go top on Sunday
AZ dropped points for the first time this season. AZ 1–1 Willem II, Jordy Clasie and Devin Haen with the goals (12). That leaves PSV two points behind with a game in hand and a home match against Sparta Rotterdam on Sunday at 20:00 CEST (13).
Win, and you lead the Eredivisie. No ifs.
You go in on 13 points from five games, +12 goal difference, four wins and a draw in your last five (13). Sparta are the last thing standing between PSV and top spot (2).
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Bosz shuffles the defence and midfield
Mauro Junior comes back into the starting line-up against Sparta (3). Bosz makes at least one more change in midfield (3).
That is the shape of the team news for Sunday. No word on who drops out (3).
Van Bommel is getting defenders, not critics
Ruben van Bommel has had a rough week after his heavy tackle on Aaron Bouwman in the 3–1 win at Ajax (1). The pundits are backing him.
Jan Boskamp did not hold back: "The reactions were not normal" (1). Gregory van der Wiel went further: "You are that mistake" (6).
On top of that, Xavi Hernández looks set to hand Van Bommel his first Oranje call-up for the coming international break (10).
Santos, from the Champions League bench to the KKD
Ayoni Santos made his first minutes in a PSV shirt on Friday, and not with the first team. The summer signing started for Jong PSV away at Helmond Sport in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie (4)(7).
Twenty-four hours earlier he was on the bench for the 1–1 with Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League (4).
Veerman: the Premier League was an option too
Joey Veerman says Dortmund was not the only door open to him this summer. Speaking to Sky Sports, he revealed a Premier League move was also on the table before he left PSV (8)(9).
He calls Dortmund the "perfect match" (9). And he had plenty to choose from: "I had a few options" (8).
Spaan on Perisic, and Ajax under pressure
Henk Spaan is not letting Ivan Perisic's comments after Ajax 1–3 PSV slide. The Het Parool columnist called them a "laughable statement" (11).
Over in Amsterdam, Ajax travel to Fortuna Sittard on Saturday and need a win to avoid losing touch with AZ, PSV and Feyenoord (5).
Fan reactions
The mood on r/PSV is about one man right now: Sergiño Dest, and his first ever Champions League Player of the Match award from the Shakhtar game.
Fans are celebrating it as one of the small wins of a week that also brought a dropped point at home. Join the thread.
