Feyenoord head coach Giovanni van Bronckhorst has praised PSV Eindhoven’s performance against FC Porto ahead of Sunday’s Eredivisie showdown, while insisting that his side will stick to its usual approach against the reigning Dutch champions.

The Rotterdam club travel to the Philips Stadion for the 14:30 kick-off as league leaders, having made an unbeaten start to their domestic campaign. However, their confidence suffered a minor setback on Wednesday, when they lost 1-0 away to Real Betis in the Champions League.

PSV, by contrast, returned from Portugal with a valuable 1-0 victory over Porto, earning their first win in this season’s Champions League and moving to four points in the competition.

Van Bronckhorst has studied that performance closely and believes PSV’s aggressive pressing played a significant role in their success.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Van Bronckhorst acknowledged the quality of PSV’s display in Portugal, highlighting their ability to control the contest and disrupt Porto’s build-up.

“I’ve watched PSV’s match. For PSV it’s a great result, which means they move up to four points. Against an opponent where they had control,” he said, as quoted by RTV Rijnmond and relayed by PSV Inside.

The Feyenoord manager also pointed to the intensity of PSV’s approach, particularly their willingness to press high and defend opponents one-on-one across the pitch.

“And also what you normally see with PSV, pressing high, one-on-one. You see that Porto had more trouble against them than a week earlier against Betis,” Van Bronckhorst added.

His comments underline the challenge Feyenoord face against a PSV side looking to build momentum after a difficult spell in the Eredivisie. Peter Bosz’s team have endured recent domestic setbacks, but their performance against Porto offered an encouraging response ahead of one of the season’s biggest fixtures.

PSV will be without suspended midfielder Sven Mijnans, while injuries have also affected Bosz’s selection options. Nevertheless, Van Bronckhorst does not expect those absences to change his tactical preparations.

Despite recognising PSV’s strengths, Van Bronckhorst made it clear that Feyenoord will not abandon their established style when they visit Eindhoven.

“Nothing changes our game plan,” he said.

The former Netherlands international expects an intense encounter between two teams that favour aggressive pressing and individual battles across the pitch.

“It will be a very interesting match, with two teams that want to put high pressure on, play one-on-one, so there will be lots of duels across the whole pitch,” he explained.

“So if you can handle that, you can benefit from it. It will be a very open match.”

That approach could produce an entertaining contest, with both sides likely to look for opportunities to force mistakes high up the pitch. The ability to cope under pressure and exploit spaces left behind by an aggressive press may prove decisive.

Feyenoord have also received a boost ahead of the trip, with midfielder Jakub Moder returning to full training after an injury lay-off.

Van Bronckhorst confirmed that Moder has trained with the squad for around a week and a half and completed every session this week.

“He’s been training with us for a week and a half. This week he also took part in all the training sessions. We got him back again on Sunday,” the Feyenoord manager said.

His return provides another option for the visitors as they prepare for a demanding midfield battle against PSV.

Feyenoord head into the match with confidence, having established themselves as the early leaders in the Eredivisie. Van Bronckhorst believes their results have reflected the quality of their start, particularly their balance between attacking productivity and defensive solidity.

“We’re heading to Eindhoven with a good feeling. Our start has been very good and we are at the top for a reason. We score a lot and concede few goals. That’s a great reason for us to keep doing that,” he said.

However, the Feyenoord coach also acknowledged that PSV’s home advantage makes them favourites for Sunday's encounter.

“PSV has not become champions for nothing in recent years. It is a team that is certainly strong at home,” Van Bronckhorst said.

“We’re going there with a good feeling, but PSV is a bit more of a favourite because they play at home.”

With Feyenoord seeking to maintain their unbeaten league record and PSV eager to close the gap at the top, Sunday's meeting promises to be an important early test of both sides' title ambitions.