PSV Eindhoven capitalised on Twente’s first loss of the Eredivisie season with a 6-0 thrashing of VVV-Venlo on Sunday.
Dick Advocaat’s men closed the gap on league leaders Twente to three points as Dries Mertens and Jurgen Locadia netted hat-tricks at De Koel.
PSV netted four times in the final quarter of an hour after Uche Nwofor was sent off for VVV having picked up his second yellow card in the 64th minute.
Mertens had given his team control of the encounter with a long-range strike and a superb volley in the first half.
But once Nwofor was sent off, the Eindhoven side inflicted further pain on the bottom-placed VVV as Locadia starred on his league debut.
The 18-year-old came on in the 68th minute and struck three times while Mertens also completed his treble in the huge win.
PSV remain two points behind second-placed Vitesse and a win adrift of Twente, who lost 1-0 to Ajax on Saturday.
AZ Alkmaar needed a late equaliser from Adam Maher to secure a 3-3 draw at home to RKC Waalwijk at AFAS Stadion.
Teddy Chevalier cancelled out Viktor Elm’s fifth-minute opener before Jozy Altidore restored the home side’s lead.
But Frank van Mosselveld levelled again before Henrico Drost gave Waalwijk the lead, only for Maher to pop up and snatch a point.
Michael de Leeuw scored a hat-trick as Groningen secured a thrilling 3-2 win at home to Roda JC.
The forward had twice given his team the lead, only for his efforts to be cancelled out by Mark-Jan Fledderus and Amin Affane.
But de Leeuw completed a standout performance with the winning goal in the third minute of additional time.
Newly promoted PEC Zwolle registered their first win of the league campaign and moved out of the relegation zone as Bart van Hintum handed them a 1-0 victory at Willem II.
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