Despite their status as favorites and home field advantage, PSV's personnel situation is complex: due to the World Cup participation of many players, the return of key attacking players, including Ivan Perišić and Ricardo Pepi, is uncertain. Meanwhile, key midfielder Sven Meynans transferred from AZ Alkmaar to PSV this summer, adding to the intrigue. The visitors, however, have virtually no losses; their squad is well-coordinated and in good form—AZ has scored 13 goals in six preseason matches.
The head-to-head statistics leave no doubt that this game will be a high-scoring affair. In the last 10 head-to-head matches between PSV and AZ, the average scoring rate was 3.6 goals per game, and the "both teams to score" bet has been successful in seven of them. In the last five matches at PSV's home ground, both teams have consistently scored, and in the last four head-to-head matches, the scoring rate has also been 75%.
Considering that PSV have conceded in almost every summer match, and the hosts' attacking line-up looks impressive even without the World Cup participants, a goal exchange is the most likely scenario.
