Eredivisie Preview: Ajax, PSV strong favourites to win again

Ajax will look to extend their unbeaten Eredivisie streak to 16 matches as they visit AZ on Sunday, while PSV host NEC Breda.

Week two of the Eredivisie season begins on Friday as Roda JC take on Cambuur, but much attention will focus on Frank de Boer’s side as they travel to the AFAS Stadion.

Ajax – who have won the last three Eredivisie titles – began their season with a 3-0 win over Roda JC last week.

New signing Bojan made his league debut in the fixture, as Ricardo van Rhijn, Siem de Jong and Viktor Fischer scored for the victors.

De Boer has managed to keep hold of Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen and Belgian defender Toby Alderweireld despite lots of interest from across Europe and he will be hopeful the pair are still at the club when the transfer window shuts.

Their opponents, AZ, lost their season opener at Heerenveen 4-2, and are trying to recover from the loss of striker Jozy Altidore and highly rated midfielder Adam Maher, who have gone to Sunderland and PSV respectively.

Manager Gert Verbeek has brought in several new faces, with Jeffrey Gouweleeuw and Jan Wuytens bolstering their defensive options, while Serbian midfielder Nemanja Gudelj is tipped for big things.

But AZ are not likely to challenge for the title and Ajax, if they are at their best, should win this fixture.

The two sides played each other in the Johan Cruijff Shield only a fortnight ago, and Ajax trailed AZ 2-0 midway through the second half.

But they forced extra-time thanks to two late goals and De Jong got a late winner for Ajax.

PSV, who finished second last term, will feel confident ahead of their first home fixture of the season against NEC on Saturday.

PSV won 3-2 at ADO Den Haag last week, while NEC slumped to a 4-1 loss against FC Groningen.

Alfred Finnbogason bagged two goals for Heerenveen in their 4-2 win last week, and he will hope to be on the scoresheet again as they travel to NAC Breda on Saturday.

Other fixtures on Saturday see Heracles host PEC Zwolle while ADO Den Haag travel to Go Ahead Eagles.

Feyenoord were surprise losers to PEC last week, and will hope to bounce back against FC Twente on Sunday, while Groningen take on Utrecht and RKC Waalwijk face Vitesse on the same day.