PSV Eindhoven reclaimed the Eredivisie lead with a convincing 4-1 victory over Sparta Rotterdam on Sunday, but the scoreline does not reflect the full picture.

Peter Bosz's side produced another strong attacking display at the Philips Stadion, scoring four times and registering 24 shots. Sven Mijnans was the standout performer, scoring his first PSV hat-trick, while Kodai Sano marked his impressive start in Eindhoven with his first goal for the club.

Yet there were also warning signs. Sparta repeatedly found opportunities on the counterattack, particularly in the opening stages and after half-time. Here are three key things we learned from PSV's performance.

The headline belongs to Mijnans.

Given a starting opportunity after PSV's midweek Champions League draw with Shakhtar Donetsk, the midfielder responded in emphatic fashion. His three goals came in three different ways, underlining his versatility inside the penalty area.

First came a header from Esmir Bajraktarevic's cross in the 23rd minute. His second arrived after PSV pressure had created a rebound, with Mijnans in the right position to finish. Then, in the 88th minute, he produced the goal of the afternoon, curling the ball into the far corner after Lutsharel Geertruida's clearance fell his way.

Bosz has already highlighted the work Mijnans has put in since joining PSV.

“From day one, he’s been working incredibly hard, and that’s the foundation,” the coach said after the match.

The midfielder's understanding of Bosz's pressing demands has taken time to develop, but his performance against Sparta showed how his movement and finishing can add another dimension to PSV's midfield.

Bosz made several changes to his starting XI after Thursday's Champions League fixture, leaving Ivan Perisic, Ricardo Pepi and Ruben van Bommel on the bench.

That rotation did not prevent PSV from controlling the match.

Perisic, Pepi and Van Bommel were all introduced in the 60th minute, while Noah Fernandez and Paul Wanner also featured in the match. The changes allowed PSV to maintain attacking intensity as Sparta began to tire.

Bosz was particularly pleased with the impact of his substitutes.

“Fernandez came on strong, just like Pepi and Perišić, for example. It’s a luxury to have such good players on the bench who can then come on and make such a strong impact,” he said.

With PSV competing domestically and in Europe, that depth could prove crucial. The ability to change several attacking positions without dramatically reducing the team's quality gives Bosz options during a congested period.

For all the positives, Bosz was not completely satisfied.

PSV dominated possession throughout the match and finished with 77% of the ball, while their 24 attempts demonstrated the extent of their attacking pressure. Sparta, however, repeatedly looked dangerous when PSV lost possession.

The visitors scored first through Milan Zonneveld after Matej Kovar rushed from his goal and missed the ball. Zonneveld also tested Kovar again after the break, while Sparta had headers from Zonneveld and Marvin Young cleared off the line.

Bosz immediately recognised the problem.

“We’re taking the three points, and that’s important, but especially during transitions, we gave away too many chances,” he said.

The coach also suggested fatigue was a factor after the Champions League match against Shakhtar.

“Against Shakhtar, we sprinted back much faster after losing possession, and we did so with an intensity that we perhaps lacked a bit tonight.”

That will be an area Bosz needs to address quickly. PSV's attacking dominance is clear, but against stronger opponents, the spaces left behind their attacks can become far more costly.

PSV's 4-1 victory ultimately delivered what Bosz wanted: three points and a return to the top of the Eredivisie.

Mijnans' hat-trick provided an additional boost, while the impact of the substitutes demonstrated the strength Bosz had available.

But the Sparta performance also offered a reminder that possession and attacking pressure alone do not eliminate danger. PSV will need to improve their defensive transitions as the level of opposition rises, particularly with a demanding domestic and European schedule ahead.