Rutten: His PSV troops face Sparta Rotterdam
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Rutten wary of Rotterdam 'dogs'
PSV coach Fred Rutten has warned his players to be on their guard against a wounded Sparta Rotterdam side in Friday night's Eredivisie clash.
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The opening fixture of the weekend league programme could see unbeaten PSV move to the top of the standings, for 24 hours at least, with leaders FC Twente - also unbeaten this season - not in action until Saturday.
PSV's 4-0 dismantling of Heracles Almelo last time out was their fifth win on the bounce and kept them within two points of Steve McClaren's pace-setters at the summit, but the story was very different for Sparta, who suffered their second defeat in a row with a 5-0 capitulation against VVV Venlo.
Sparta coach Frans Adelaar responded by ordering an extra training session from his players this week, and Rutten is expecting a response.
"This could be a very tough game," said Rutten. "They have some players with great talent and strength.
"Against great teams, they can recover. They have considerable talent, they are young and hungry dogs."
Rutten refused to put much store in the prospect of moving to the summit with a victory, saying: "This is a nice side issue, but at this stage of the season I do not think it has such a big psychological effect.
"In the final stage of the season perhaps, but not yet."
Twente are the visitors to 12th-placed Willem II on Saturday evening when McClaren's side will be bidding to make it 13 wins out of 15 games so far this season.
The former England manager has earned much praise for his work in turning Twente into title challengers and Slovakian midfielder Miroslav Stoch believes the man at the helm must take the lion's share of the credit for the club's sparking early-season form.
Stoch, who is on loan at Twente from Chelsea, said: "In every newspaper and everywhere on TV they are speaking about Twente.
"The atmosphere in the changing room is that we have to keep working hard. Everyone is speaking about us."
He added: "From the first moment I came to the club I liked Steve McClaren very much.
"He is a good manager off the field and on the field and that is really important.
"You need to have someone behind you who you know is really good. And everyone likes his style here."
Elsewhere this weekend, third-placed Ajax will hope to close the six-point gap to Twente by posting a win over mid-table Vitesse Arnhem while reigning champions AZ Alkmaar welcome a no doubt buoyant VVV to the DSB Stadion.
Fourth-placed Feyenoord are already 13 points off the championship pace and will bid to end a run of three games without a win when they visit ADO Den Haag, while bottom side RKC Waalwijk will hope their improved form continues as they chase a third win on the bounce at Heerenveen.
Roda JC are the visitors to Heracles, FC Utrecht play host to NAC Breda, and FC Groningen and NEC Nijmegen meet at the Euroborg.
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