Whatever the weather I am taking Newcastle United to win this one against PSV Eindhoven

Philips Sport Vereniging, abbreviated as PSV and commonly known as PSV Eindhoven was founded in 1913 as a team for employees of the Dutch multinational health technology and former consumer electronics company, Philips.

After a less than auspicious start to life, PSV re-entered the top flight of Dutch football in 1926 and has stayed there ever since, winning the title for the first time in 1929 before going on to win it another 25 times including back-to-back Eredivisie titles these past two seasons.

Sitting in pole position at the turn of the year with a more than healthy lead over rivals Feyenoord, there’s every chance of PSV making it another hat-trick of league titles by the end of this season, a feat they achieved in 2007 when they won their twentieth title, before going on to win it for a fourth consecutive time the following year.

It is this pedigree that has established PSV alongside Feyenoord and Ajax as one of Holland’s “big three” clubs that have dominated the Eredivisie since its formation in 1956.

If you’re looking for connections with Newcastle United, look no further than Sir Bobby Robson, who guided the club to successive Eredivisie titles in 1991 and 1992, later returning to the club for the 1998/99 campaign when PSV won the Dutch equivalent of the Community Shield (named after Johan Cruyff).

Former PSV players that have appeared in the black and white of Newcastle United include Georginio Wijnaldum, Luuk and Siem de Jong, as well as Jetro Willems and Patrick Kluivert.

Like all but one of our Swiss League opponents this season, Newcastle United has previously played against PSV in European competition.

During the 1997/98 Champions League campaign, PSV beat United home and away in a group that also comprised Dynamo Kiev and Barcelona, the damage done against the side from the Eredivisie, as United finished in third place, despite taking four points from the Ukrainians who topped the group as well as defeating the Catalans with that Tino Asprilla inspired hat-trick at St James Park.

Revenge for United came about in the 2003/04 UEFA cup quarter final when the Magpies edged past the Dutch side with a 2-1 win in the return leg at Gallowgate, having drawn 1-1 in the Philips Stadion, Gary Speed with the winning goal to set up the semi-final encounter with Marseilles.

On the European stage, PSV have won the UEFA Cup in 1978 and in 1988 the European Cup, when they defeated Benfica 6-5 in a penalty shootout, the final held in Stuttgart.

That European title was the culmination of PSV’s best ever season when Guus Hiddink steered the club to the Eredivisie with four games to spare and the Dutch Cup, before winning Europe’s most glittering prize.

Without wanting to diminish or take anything away from PSV’s European title, it’s perhaps instructive to note that in those days, the European Cup was competed for on a knockout basis, and in contrast to how the Champions League is organised in the modern era, back then it took PSV only nine matches to lift the trophy.

Their campaign started with wins against Galatasaray and Rapid Vienna to reach the quarter finals, but from that point, PSV managed to lift the big cup without winning another game, the away goals rule counting in the last eight against Bordeaux and also in the semi-final against Real Madrid, before a goalless draw in the final led to their triumph in the penalty shootout.

The following season resulted in another domestic double for PSV, although in comparison, the international competitions were disappointing. The Intercontinental Cup against Uruguay’s Nacional ended in a 2–2 draw, but this time, PSV lost the penalty shootout. PSV were also beaten in the UEFA Super Cup by the Belgian outfit KV Mechelen, and in defence of their European Cup title, succumbed to Real Madrid, who took revenge for the semi-final defeat in the previous season by eliminating PSV in the quarter-finals.

Back to the present and with PSV dominating proceedings in the Dutch league, it’s clear that they pose a threat to Newcastle United’s chances of progressing in this seasons Champions League, although their own European campaign has been patchy to say the least, winning two, drawing two and losing two of their six games, languishing in 21st place in the table ahead of the seventh round of matches

One of those defeats came at home to Union S-G, the team that United swatted aside at their place by four goals to nil, although notably, one of PSV’s wins came at Anfield where they outclassed Liverpool, to run out 4-1 victors. So, it might be a case of which version of PSV turns up at St James’ Park this Wednesday.

Whatever the weather, I’m taking Newcastle to win this one, possibly by a two-goal margin. If that is what transpires, it will guarantee the minimum of a play-off to try and made the last 16 knockout stages. Whilst wins against PSV and PSG, next week in Paris, would very likely mean a top eight spot and automatic progress to the last 16.