Antwerp will line up in their usual 4-3-3, with Hairemans pulling the strings in that midfield trio. He's the metronome — the guy who dictates tempo, finds the half-space runners, and springs Frey and Narh in behind. The full-backs push high, the wingers stay wide, and the central midfielders arrive late in the box. It's a shape built to stretch a defence and create overloads out wide. Against a St. Truiden side that will likely sit in a 4-2-3-1, Antwerp should find joy in the channels, especially if the visitors' double pivot gets dragged out of position.

St. Truiden's 4-2-3-1 is all about structure and counter-pressing. They're compact, disciplined, and dangerous on the transition — the kind of team that will happily let Antwerp have the ball and then knife through on the break. But that approach requires energy, and energy is exactly what's in short supply after a European away day. The key battle will be in midfield: Antwerp's three against St. Truiden's two. If Hairemans and co. can dominate that central zone, the visitors' wide players will be forced to tuck in, leaving space for Antwerp's full-backs to bomb forward. Set pieces could also be a factor — both sides have height, but Antwerp's delivery from wide areas looks sharper.