Expect Anderlecht to line up in their usual shape — likely a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3, with a double pivot shielding the back four and creative runners in the half-spaces. Their coach, whoever he is this season, will have drilled them to dominate possession and move the ball quickly through the lines. Against a side like Waasland-Beveren, who will probably sit deep in a low block, Anderlecht will need patience. They'll look to stretch the pitch, get their full-backs high, and whip crosses into the box. Set pieces could be a key weapon — Anderlecht's physical presence in the area is a known threat.

Waasland-Beveren, on the other hand, will likely set up to frustrate. A 5-4-1 or a 4-5-1, with everyone behind the ball, hoping to nick something on the break or from a dead ball. They'll cede possession, sit narrow, and dare Anderlecht to break them down. The danger for them is the second ball — if Anderlecht's midfielders are sharp to the knockdowns, they'll create chance after chance. The home side will need their goalkeeper to have a blinder and their defenders to be flawless for 90 minutes. That's a big ask.

The midfield battle will decide this. Anderlecht's double pivot should dominate the centre, controlling the tempo and starving Waasland-Beveren of any sustained pressure. If the visitors can win the second balls and keep the home side pinned in their own half, it's only a matter of time before the goal comes. The away side's width will be crucial — if their wingers can isolate the full-backs, they'll get the crosses in that their strikers thrive on.