AZ level test for convalescent PSV

Revitalised under stand-in Dwight Lodeweges, PSV Eindhoven take on runaway Dutch league leaders AZ Alkmaar on Saturday, with the coach saying: "We have passed our mock exams, but now we are up for our finals."

Heart returning
The Dutch champions and coach Huub Stevens parted company on 28 January with PSV's chances of a fifth successive title ebbing away, but a run of three straight wins – in which they scored 14 goals – has seen confidence pouring back into the side. "They have to play with heart, and dare to do what they can do," said Lodeweges. "It doesn't matter if things don't work out every time."

Dazzling run
The 51-year-old Lodeweges played down the influence he and his assistants, Phillip Cocu and Jan Wouters, have played in PSV's rally, saying: "My role is not so huge. I just encourage the boys." His boys will be heartened considerably more if they can overcome visitors AZ, the side eleven points clear at the top of the table and unbeaten in 20 league games.

Toivonen out
Swedish winter signing Ola Toivonen, who has scored in all three of PSV's recent wins, will miss the game through suspension after being dismissed in the 5-3 win at FC Volendam. However, the fourth-placed side have newly-signed China midfielder Zhou Haibin available.

Eleven wins
AZ coach Louis van Gaal is equally aware that the game will be a tough one. A 1-0 victory against PSV in September kicked off their unbeaten run in the league, and AZ have now won their last eleven matches, conceding only once in the process, in last weekend's 3-1 win at home to Willem II. A repeat of their 1980/81 title success is on the cards, but Van Gaal feels there is a long way to go.

Confident prediction
The 57-year-old had predicted wins in AZ's first five games of 2009, "because in theory we were playing against easier opponents, though obviously that is easier said than done". While other title contenders fell behind in that period, Van Gaal added: "This doesn't mean we have won the title, though 56 points should get us a European place. We have a tough programme ahead."

Dutch classic
Third in the table, behind AZ and FC Twente, AFC Ajax meet Feyenoord in Sunday's Dutch classic in Amsterdam with Marco van Basten aware that his side may have blown their title chances after picking up just one point in their last four games. Now 14 points adrift of AZ, they are in dire need of the kind of a morale boost that a win against their old rivals – 12th in the table – could provide.