Eredivisie Preview: Leaders PSV take on struggling Eagles

Cocu

Phillip Cocu's men currently hold a four-point advantage over reigning champions Ajax at the top of the table, following their last-gasp 4-3 victory over Feyenoord on Wednesday.

The Eindhoven outfit will be keen to extend their nine-match league unbeaten run when they host their struggling opponents at the Philips Stadion.

With the division set to take a four-week hiatus as the league reaches the halfway stage, Cocu and his players will be hoping to at least maintain their lead over Ajax.

Foeke Booy's Eagles come into the clash 15th in the table, just one point and one place above the relegation play-off places, having won only once in their past seven outings.

Just below them are ADO Den Haag, who travel to mid-table Heerenveen in the round's opening fixture on Friday.

The clash sees the division's joint-top goalscorers go head-to-head, with Den Haag's Michiel Kramer and Heerenveen's Marc Uth both having 11 goals to their name thus far.

It is a second successive game against a bottom-three side for Dwight Lodeweges' Heerenveen, who ended an eight-match winless sequence with a 2-0 success at NAC Breda last time out.

Second-bottom Breda host Feyenoord, with the visitors hoping to bounce back from Wednesday's dramatic defeat.

Cut adrift at the foot of the table, with just one victory and six points to their name, are Dordrecht, who host Groningen.

Ajax look the only side likely to challenge PSV for the title, as they search for a fifth consecutive Eredivise crown.

Their next test will come at Excelsior, with the form book suggesting Frank de Boer's men are clear favourites.

Ajax go into the game on the back of a 12-match undefeated streak in the league, while their hosts have not tasted victory in the top flight in six outings, and have conceded 12 goals in their previous three.

Elsewhere in the upper echelons, third-placed PEC Zwolle visit Cambuur while fifth-placed AZ host Utrecht.

The other fixtures in the last round of action before the break see Vitesse welcome Heracles and Willem II travel to Twente.

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