Just two points separates these sides after 10 games in the Jupiler Pro League rankings. A win for Belgian giants Anderlecht is crucial if they are to keep pace with the top six, whilst victory for Sint Truiden would continue their impressive campaign thus far as they look to improve on last season’s 15th place finish.
Despite the close position of these teams in the Jupiler Pro League rankings, the football odds suggest this won’t be a tight affair. You can back Anderlecht as favourites at odds of 1.80 with Bet777.be. If you like the look of the underdogs, Sint Truiden can be backed at 4.50.
We’ve taken a look at how we think things might play out this weekend in the fight for the top 8. You can place your football bets with Bet777.be – the best place for online bets and live betting as the Jupiler Pro League rankings evolved over the weekend!
Sint Truiden’s Lack of Goals
Sint Truiden Total Goals: 1 – 2.85
It is no secret the home side have struggled to find goals; only two teams in the league have scored fewer. Not a single player has managed to find the net more than once thus far, and although it is always helpful to have goals chipped in from all over, every team needs a main man if they are to excel.
Since returning to the squad, Yuma Suzuki was expected to be that player having scored 17 in 34 last season. With just a single goal in 4 games, the Japanese forward is yet to hit the ground running. Sint Truiden have managed to score more than once on just two occasions thus far; a problem when you consider the sheer volume of goals scored weekly in Belgian football.
They face a visit from an Anderlecht side with a strong defensive record – only Saint Gilloise have conceded fewer. Perhaps it comes as no surprise given that traditional centre-half Vincent Kompany is at the helm. Although Sint Truiden themselves have been solid defensively, their lack of goals makes it difficult to see how they could find a way past Anderlecht’s compact preferred 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1.
Sint Truiden have managed to score exactly 1 goal in 6 out of 10 games. Although they have quality in their Japanese contingent, they will find it hard to break down a well organised visiting side who have plenty of attacking quality of their own.
Anderlecht’s Attacking Options
Anderlecht win and both to score – 3.70
Kompany has very rarely changed his back four and two holding midfielders, but Anderlecht have plenty of options when it comes to their forwards. Francis Amuzu has been preferred to Anouar Ait El Hadj on the right-wing in recent weeks and the manager has shifted between Joshua Zirkzee, Benito Raman and Cristian Kouame to fill out the striker role.
Maintaining a consistent defensive six has resulted in Anderlecht’s solid defensive record, with Josh Cullen and Kristoffer Olsson effectively screening the back-line and covering for attacking full-backs. Yari Verschaeren has also been a mainstay in the number 10 role, with the young Belgian impressing on a weekly basis.
With Truiden typically operating with three centre-halves and three central midfielders, it will be important that Verschaeren is not marked out of the game. It will be his job to progress the ball into wider areas for the likes of veteran Lior Rafaelov and Anderlecht’s full-backs, in order to provide service for whoever leads the line.
Anderlecht have only kept one clean sheet thus far but have also only been prevented from scoring on one occasion. Given the home side’s lacklustre goalscoring record, we expect Anderlecht to come away with all three points and rise the Jupiler Pro League rankings thanks to their organised defensive structure and versatile attacking talent.
*Odds correct at time of publish.
