Expect Anderlecht to line up in their usual 4-3-3, with that double pivot shielding the back four and the front three looking to stretch the pitch. They'll dominate the ball — that's a given. Waasland-Beveren will likely sit in a 4-2-3-1, a low block designed to frustrate, absorb pressure, and hit on the break. But here's the thing: Anderlecht have the tools to unlock a parked bus. Their full-backs push high, the midfielders arrive late in the box, and the wingers love to cut inside and shoot. It's a pressing trap waiting to spring.

The midfield battle is where this gets decided. Anderlecht's double pivot will control the tempo, while Waasland-Beveren's two holding midfielders will try to clog the lanes. But Anderlecht have the quality to play through pressure — quick one-twos, runners in the half-spaces, and a striker who knows how to find space in the box. Set pieces are another weapon: Anderlecht are dangerous from dead balls, and against a deep block, that's often the difference. The game state is clear: Anderlecht camped in Waasland-Beveren's half, probing, waiting for the breakthrough.