PSV Eindhoven vs. Liverpool | Champions League | League Stage | Pre Match

One of the few Champions League games with very little riding on it in matchday eight will see Liverpool make the trip over to the Netherlands to face Eredivisie champions PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday. Despite the lack of stakes in terms of qualification, both sides will be eager to maintain their momentum and assert their dominance on the European stage.

Both clubs sit top of their respective domestic leagues, and this will be Arne Slot's first trip back to his homeland since leaving Feyenoord for Anfield in the summer. Having been a prominent figure in Dutch football before his move to England, Slot will undoubtedly be eager to make a strong impression in front of his compatriots. His familiarity with the Eredivisie and his previous encounters with PSV add an extra layer of intrigue to this encounter.

Liverpool remain on course to finish top of the inaugural league phase after they made it seven wins from seven by beating a Lille side who had been unbeaten for 21 games last week. It was yet another testament to their resilience and quality in Europe's premier club competition, where they have consistently demonstrated their ability to overcome tough opposition. Harvey Elliott's deflected winner sealed the victory, making Slot just the second manager in Champions League history to win his first seven matches in the competition with a single club. His tactical nous and ability to adapt to different challenges have been instrumental in Liverpool's flawless campaign so far.

To make it a clean sweep of wins across the league phase, however, Slot will have to improve on a poor recent record against PSV from his time in the Netherlands, winning just one of his previous seven head-to-heads. This statistic may be a cause for concern, but Liverpool's overall form and strength in European competitions suggest that they are more than capable of overcoming this historical hurdle. The Reds continue to set new impressive feats, as no team has a better win percentage (80%) away from home in this competition since the start of the 2021-22 campaign than they do, with 12 wins from 15. Their ability to deliver results on the road has been a crucial factor in their recent successes.

The goal they let in against Lille also came after the hour mark, meaning they were able to break the club record for the longest time without conceding in the Champions League, which had stood for almost 20 years. This defensive solidity has been a cornerstone of their European campaign, with players like Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker leading from the back. Their disciplined and organized defensive structure has made them one of the toughest teams to break down in the competition.

Despite all of these impressive statistics, Liverpool are still not assured of first place, thanks to Barcelona's astonishing comeback against Benfica last Tuesday, but a top-two spot is sealed, meaning they will essentially be a top seed regardless, in the new tennis-style knockout format. This format change has introduced a new layer of complexity to the competition, but Liverpool's consistency and depth should give them a significant advantage heading into the knockout rounds.

The momentum continued at the weekend as Liverpool thrashed Ipswich Town 4-1 at Anfield to maintain their six-point lead at the top of the Premier League. This dominant display further underlined their credentials as serious contenders on multiple fronts this season. However, with a very busy 14 days to come after this one, Slot could be tempted to rotate. Managing player fatigue and ensuring squad freshness will be crucial as they navigate a packed fixture schedule.

A big test at Bournemouth awaits at the weekend, before the return leg of their EFL Cup semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur, a trip to Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup, and the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park with Everton. This demanding run of fixtures will test Liverpool's squad depth, and Slot will need to carefully balance his lineup selections to keep his players in peak condition.

After a near-perfect start to the season, PSV have been remarkably unconvincing in 2025 so far under Peter Bosz. The Dutch giants, who were almost unstoppable in the first half of the campaign, have shown signs of vulnerability in recent weeks. PSV only dropped six points in the first 17 league games of the season, but they let five slip in their first two games of the calendar year, drawing 2-2 at home to AZ Alkmaar before losing at Zwolle. These setbacks have raised questions about their ability to maintain their early-season dominance.

Even against second-tier Excelsior, Bosz's men were very fortunate, winning 5-4 in extra time after trailing 3-1 with just 10 minutes of regulation time remaining. Such defensive lapses and late-game struggles indicate a potential weakness that Liverpool could look to exploit. A red card to Ryan Flamingo threatened to derail their comfortable position away to Red Star Belgrade last week in their penultimate league phase outing, as a 3-0 lead quickly became 3-2, but they were able to get over the line. However, such narrow escapes will not inspire much confidence heading into a clash with a high-caliber opponent like Liverpool.

The same scoreline saw them beat NAC Breda at the weekend too, after going behind early on, but that did extend their incredible home form to just one defeat in 53 games across all competitions - winning 44. Their fortress-like home record is something they will look to build on against Liverpool, but given their recent inconsistencies, it remains to be seen if they can maintain their resilience against such a formidable opponent.

Ajax are still just four points behind with a game in hand in the Eredivisie, but PSV can breathe much more easily in the Champions League, because it is practically impossible for them not to progress, with enough teams below them playing against each other, and Dinamo Zagreb needing an 11-goal swing to overtake them. The hosts are just two points off the top eight still, but there are too many teams above them, so ensuring a seeded spot in the playoff is PSV's best hope from matchday eight.

After his red card in the Serbian capital last week, Flamingo will be suspended for this one, joining fellow defender Sergino Dest, who has a long-term knee injury, on the sidelines. These defensive absences could further weaken PSV's backline and make them more susceptible to Liverpool's attacking threats. Malik Tillman was suspended for the trip to Red Star, but he has missed the last two weeks of action with an ankle injury anyway, and he is unlikely to return in time for this one.

Luuk de Jong is one of two players with Premier League experience against Liverpool in the squad and can become the club's all-time record Champions League scorer with another goal, while the other of those two players, Ivan Perisic, will not feature due to being unregistered. De Jong's experience and goal-scoring prowess could be key for PSV, especially in a match where they may have to be clinical with limited opportunities.

Injuries have been kind to Liverpool this season, but they still have a few setbacks heading into this one, especially for some squad players who may have been utilized, including Curtis Jones, who was forced off at half-time against Lille last week. Joe Gomez and Diogo Jota are also a few weeks away from returning, but apart from that, Slot has a full complement to choose from here.

Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold are the three players most likely to get a rest, but the former may be keen to start so he has a chance to improve further on his tally of 50 European goals for Liverpool. With their depth and quality, Liverpool will still field a competitive side capable of securing another victory on the road, further solidifying their reputation as one of Europe's elite clubs.