Anderlecht roll into this one with real momentum. They opened their Belgian Pro League campaign with a 2-1 win over RAAL La Louvière, and that result tells you everything about their current mood — they grind, they find a way, they get the job done. That's the mark of a side with genuine ambitions this season. They followed it up with a hard-fought 1-0 victory away at PAOK in the Europa League qualifiers, a result that shows they can win ugly on the road. That's exactly the profile you want when you're travelling to a smaller ground where the home side will be scrapping for every ball. Anderlecht are battle-hardened right now, playing twice a week, and that competitive edge is priceless.

Waasland-Beveren, on the other hand, are the great unknown. They're a club that's been bouncing between divisions, and while they'll be organised and desperate at home, there's no recent form to suggest they can live with a side of Anderlecht's pedigree. This is a classic David vs Goliath setup in Belgian football. The gap in quality, squad depth, and European experience is massive. Anderlecht have been here before — they know how to handle these banana skins. We love the confidence behind this pick.