PSV vs AZ Alkmaar prediction: NETHERLANDS: Eredivisie betting tips on match 2022-11-12 20:00.
After winning their top-of-the-table at the Johan Cruijff ArenA with a 2-1 conquering of Ajax, PSV took first place, but it was expected that Ajax would reclaim it on Wednesday after their make-up game against Vitesse. Ajax eventually settled for a 2-2 draw, which means that PSV can now determine whether they retain the crown as winter break leaders. Feyenoord is equal in points with the Eindhoven team, but PSV enjoy a superior goal difference.
On Friday afternoon it was announced that Luuk de Jong, Cody Gakpo and Xavi Simons will be the three PSV players taking part in the World Cup. That should be a huge confidence boost, especially for Simons. After all, the youngster is still waiting for his official debut for the Dutch national team, but his good first half of the season in his native country has not gone unnoticed by the national coach. The three future World Cup participants will have to show their best side one more time on Saturday in the PSV shirt before they fly to Qatar.
AZ appeared to have an easy afternoon ahead of them in Waalwijk when the team took the lead against RKC within ten minutes, but nothing could be further from the truth. Partly due to two gigantic blunders by goalkeeper Hobie Verhulst, the Waalwijkers won 3-1 and ensured that AZ could not catch up with the top two. It was not the first time that Verhulst made a critical mistake, but AZ does not have too many alternative options for the goalkeeper position.
The Dane Peter Vindahl was already found too light last year and Sem Westerveld (20) or the talented Rome Jayden Owusu-Oduro (18) may have to develop further before they are ready for a starting position. Therefore, it is a mystery who puts Pascal Janssen between the sticks against PSV, the club against which his team has performed remarkably well in recent years.
Players to watch: Cody Gakpo has provided six assists in his last four games and across the campaign has accumulated at least five more assists than any other Eredivisie player going into the round. For the visitors, Yukinari Sugawara has been the man with the golden cross at AZ in recent weeks. The 22-year-old Japanese dynamo has recorded an assist in his last three appearances.
Hot stat: AZ won five of their last six matches against PSV.