Cocu crowing over in-form PSV

Tuesday's Group C game between PSV Eindhoven and Galatasaray SK could see the Dutch champions secure their place in the UEFA Champions League knockout stage after just four matches. Although taking nothing for granted, captain Phillip Cocu is confident that PSV are in the mood to make a little bit of history.

'Getting stronger'
The 36-year-old midfielder said: "We have put a good set of results together, which is especially pleasing considering we didn't have the ideal start to the season. There were additions to the squad, and some players came back late from [FIFA] World Cup duty. But now we feel we're moving in the right direction and getting stronger all the time. Of course, there's always room for improvement. We should be aiming to dominate games for longer periods."

Vein of form
The 101-times Dutch international failed to mention that his side's rich vein of form more or less coincides with his return from a leg injury. Since then, PSV have scored 19 times in six outings, including a 7-0 mauling of Sparta Rotterdam on 25 October - their biggest victory for almost three years. Meanwhile, two of the goals came a fortnight ago in a 2-1 victory over this week's Group C opponents.

Setting the tone
"Galatasaray showed during the first half in Istanbul they can play high-speed, aggressive football and put their opponents under pressure," the former FC Barcelona star said. Ominously for the Turkish visitors, Cocu expects a different story this time round. "We have home advantage and will be looking to set the tone," added the midfielder, who celebrated his birthday on Sunday.

Wise words
Although his team appear poised for another extended UEFA Champions League run, Cocu is reluctant to draw comparisons with the PSV side that reached the semi-finals in 2004/05. "I prefer to concentrate on the potential of the current squad," he said. "We have new players, a new coach [Ronald Koeman] and a new formation - let's just see how far we can go."