Highlighted: Two cracking matches in round 15

For the third time this calendar year, PSV will play an Eredivisie match on a Friday, following fixtures on February 16 and March 8. This matches the number of Friday league games they played across the previous nine calendar years combined. The Eindhoven side has fond memories of such matches, having won their last six Friday fixtures while keeping clean sheets in the most recent three. However, Friday’s clash presents a sterner test, as FC Twente represents formidable opposition. The last time PSV faced a top-five team on a Friday was February 13, 2015, when they defeated AZ 2-4 in Alkmaar.

This game marks PSV's second Eredivisie match in seven days against a team currently in the top five. Last Sunday, PSV had an emphatic 5-0 victory over FC Utrecht, taking their Eredivisie goal tally for 2024 to an astonishing 105. Only Ajax, in 2019 (117 goals) and 2021 (106 goals), have scored more in a calendar year this century.

The game also pits the two most prolific midfielders of this Eredivisie season against each other. Among midfielders involved in at least two goals, FC Twente’s Sem Steijn boasts the best efficiency, needing just 75 minutes per goal or assist, closely followed by PSV’s Ismael Saibari, with 77 minutes per goal contribution. This promises to be a showdown of high stakes and top quality as the Eredivisie weekend kicks off in style.

In addition to Sem Steijn, PSV's defenders will need to stay alert to the threat posed by Sam Lammers, as the duo forms the backbone of FC Twente's attacking force. Both players have registered a league-high 41 shots this Eredivisie season, underlining their ability to test opposing goalkeepers. Their chemistry has been equally remarkable, with Steijn and Lammers creating more chances for each other (13) than any other pair of players in the league. 

On Sunday, AZ hosts Ajax in a match that has proven to be a challenging fixture for the Amsterdammers in recent years. AZ has won their last two Eredivisie home games against Ajax, and the visitors have failed to win any of their last six league meetings with the Alkmaar side (two draws, four defeats). This represents one of Ajax’s worst streaks against a single opponent in Eredivisie history. Only three times have Ajax gone longer without a victory against a specific team: seven games against Feyenoord (1962–1966 and 1968–1971) and an incredible 17 games against PSV (1995–2003).

Earlier this season, Ajax’s defensive solidity was a key strength, but recent weeks have seen significant cracks emerge. In their last four Eredivisie matches, only Willem II (73) faced more shots than Ajax (68). Furthermore, Ajax’s Expected Goals (xG) against tally over this period (7.9) is higher than all but FC Groningen (8.9) and PEC Zwolle (8.4).

With AZ in strong form and Ajax showing defensive vulnerabilities, this promises to be a challenging encounter for the record champions.

AZ, on the other hand, has been firing off shots at an incredible rate in recent home matches. Across their last three home league games, they’ve taken a total of 63 shots. However, not all of these were on target or posed a significant threat. Of those attempts, 29 came from outside the box, and 4 were on target. While the volume is impressive, AZ will need to focus on improving the precision and effectiveness of their finishing to capitalize on their attacking dominance.