PSV Eindhoven head to the Van Donge & De Roo Stadion on Saturday evening knowing they need a response.

The defending champions were held to a 2-2 draw by Fortuna Sittard on the opening weekend, while Excelsior began their campaign in emphatic fashion with a 4-0 victory away to Cambuur.

Kick-off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. CEST (UTC/GMT +2 hours) on Saturday, August 15, with Ruben den Uil's Excelsior looking to produce a result that would end one of the longest unbeaten runs in Dutch football.

Excelsior have not beaten PSV since May 1985, when they won 2-0 at home. Since then, the Eindhoven club have dominated this fixture, winning the last 14 meetings between the two sides. PSV have also won all of their last eight encounters.

History, however, will offer little comfort to Peter Bosz after a difficult start to the new campaign.

PSV suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to AZ Alkmaar in the Johan Cruijff Shield before conceding a stoppage-time equaliser against Fortuna. They dominated possession in that match, recording around 76%, but struggled to convert their control into a comfortable victory.

The defensive concerns have been particularly evident. PSV conceded four against AZ and then allowed Fortuna to score twice, including Édouard Michut's 92nd-minute equaliser. Bosz's experimental back-three system against Fortuna will therefore be under scrutiny again, with the coach having to decide whether to retain the shape or return to a more familiar structure.

Excelsior could hardly have asked for a better opening. Their 4-0 victory at Cambuur extended their unbeaten run across all competitions to 11 matches, including six consecutive Eredivisie games without defeat.

Noah Naujoks was the standout performer, scoring twice, while Irakli Yegoian contributed a goal and an assist. David Garden also scored on his debut.

Den Uil's side are expected to operate in a 4-2-3-1, with Naujoks given freedom to roam behind Garden. The hosts are unlikely to dominate possession as they did against Cambuur, but their pace in transition could prove important.

Yegoian and Gyan de Regt can provide outlets in the wide areas, particularly if PSV's wing-backs push forward. Simon Janssen also impressed from left-back last weekend, providing two assists.

Excelsior's efficiency was striking against Cambuur: they scored four goals from only seven shots on target.

Bosz has received timely boosts with Sergiño Dest and Joey Veerman available again after their suspensions. Their returns give PSV greater flexibility in both defensive and midfield areas.

Jerdy Schouten remains sidelined with a knee injury, while Couhaib Driouech is a doubt to feature following his failed Rangers transfer.

Ricardo Pepi is expected to lead the attack, with Guus Til and Sven Mijnans operating behind him. Ivan Perišić remains an important creative outlet after supplying the assist for Ryan Flamingo's goal against Fortuna.

Kodai Sano is also available after completing a full pre-season with NEC Nijmegen, although it remains unclear whether Bosz will hand him a starting role.

PSV's attacking numbers against Fortuna were encouraging, with the champions producing 21 attempts, five big chances and 2.56 expected goals. The challenge is turning that dominance into goals and, ultimately, three points.

Possible Lineups

Excelsior: Van Gassel; Martens, Meissen, Plug, Janssen; Hartjes, Van Vianen; Yegoian, Naujoks, De Regt; Garden.

PSV: Kovar; Obispo, Flamingo, Júnior; Bommel, Perišić; Wanner, Fernandez; Til, Mijnans; Pepi.

For PSV, the objective is clear: avoid another early setback and restore momentum in their defence of the Eredivisie title. Excelsior, meanwhile, have the form and confidence to test a champions' defence that has yet to find its balance.