PSV’s line-up for the competition match at FC Utrecht has been announced. Ruud van Nistelrooij, the trainer of the Eindhoven team, has chosen to remove Ismael Saibari from the base after the midweek 3-0 defeat at Sevilla and to give Johan Bakayoko another chance. Most striking, however, is the starting place of Mauro Júnior, who will play in midfield. There he takes the place of the absent Ibrahim Sangaré.
Saibari completed the ninety minutes in Seville, but has to take a seat on the reserve bench again against Utrecht. Bakayoko already showed himself against FC Groningen (6-0) last weekend and can also try again from the kick-off in the Domstad. He forms the vanguard with Luuk de Jong, who is at the point of the attack, and Xavi Simons on the left. In midfield there is a place for Mauro, who replaces the absent Sangaré as controller. Joey Veerman and Guus Til are also in the base. In the back, Van Nistelrooij opts for Armando Obispo in the heart of the defense next to Jarrad Branthwaite. André Ramalho, who had minor complaints about the meeting with Sevilla, is a bench seat. Jordan Teze and Patrick van Aanholt occupy the back positions and Walter Benítez keeps.
Give everything ??#UTRPSV pic.twitter.com/ZqI3ljeIz5
— PSV (@PSV) February 19, 2023
Utrecht coach Michael Silberbauer can slowly count on Tommy St. Jago again. The center defender is on his way back from a serious knee injury and was able to play for half an hour with Jong FC Utrecht against Telstar on Monday. Jens Toornstra is missing in midfield due to a suspension, while Nick Viergever, Bas Dost, Django Warmerdam and newcomer Zakaria Labyad are also absent. Modibo Sagnan and Bart Ramselaar will be present against PSV. The Domstedelingen are going through a changeable period. After the spectacular draw at AZ (5-5), the team won 1-0 against sc Heerenveen, but lost 2-0 in the previous round against ten Vitesse men. Utrecht will have to do better than in the previous meeting with PSV this season. In October it was preferably 6-1 for the people of Eindhoven.
Til, Anwar El Ghazi and Simons then scored two goals. The latter is increasingly emerging as a key player for PSV, although he could not prevent Sevilla from going down 3-0 on Thursday. In the Eredivisie, however, the previous game was won 6-0. PSV left Groningen intact and ensured that it did not suffer an expensive loss of points in the battle for the championship. Title competitor Feyenoord won against AZ on Saturday evening in the final phase, so that the gap between Feyenoord and PSV is currently seven points. In the hunt for a victory, trainer Ruud van Nistelrooij has to do without Thorgan Hazard, who has been out of circulation for several weeks. El Ghazi also has to watch injured. Fodé Fofana and Sávio are also not fit enough.
Line-up FC Utrecht: nb
Line-up PSV: Benitez; Teze, Branthwaite, Obispo, Van Aanholt; Mauro Junior, Veerman, Til; Bakayoko, De Jong, Simons.