Sports Mole previews Saturday’s Belgian Pro League clash between Anderlecht and Sint-Truiden, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Aiming to continue their formidable home record from last season, Anderlecht will welcome Sint-Truiden to Lotto Park for an opening- weekend clash in the Belgian Pro League.
The Purple & White will be thriving to compete for the league title once again this term, whilst De Kanaries could make an unlikely push for a European spot.
Match preview
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Following a disastrous 11th-placed finish during the 2022-23 campaign, Anderlecht returned to the conversation in the upper echelons of the Belgian Pro League last season, however Saturday’s hosts were unable to lift their first league crown after seven years off the top of the podium.
The Purple & White ended up finishing third in the top-flight standings, three points behind Union SG in second and four points behind title holders Club Brugge, meaning that the 34-time champions will be featuring in the qualifying stages of the Europa League later in the year.
Before any attention turns to an imminent continental adventure, Anderlecht must focus on replicating their exceptional home form in the Pro League from last season, with the Belgian giants boasting the best home record in the division, winning 15 and losing only two of their 20 fixtures at Lotto Park.
Taking the reins of a club in the midst of a full-blown crisis in December 2022, Brian Riemer has steadied the Purple & White ship as they look to challenge for the Pro League crown this term, with the former Brentford assistant coach winning 34 of his 67 matches in charge so far.
As well as in the managerial hotseat, there is also a large Danish influence at the top end of the pitch for Anderlecht, with compatriots Anders Dreyer (19) and Kasper Dolberg (15) bagging 34 Pro League goals between them last season, representing one of the division’s deadliest forward lines.
Sint-Truiden will be celebrating a decade of Pro League football this season following their title-winning campaign of 2014-15 in the Challenger League, with Saturday’s visitors experiencing little danger of losing their first-tier spot during the 2023-24 edition.
Following the 30-game regular season, De Kanaries sat in ninth place, 11 points clear of 13th-placed Sporting Charleroi, with Sint-Truiden eventually finishing ninth in the Pro League overall at the conclusion of the 40-match term, 15 points behind Gent in the Conference League playoff spot.
Christian Lattanzio will realise that his side needs to improve their less-than-inspiring away form should they wish to fight for a spot on the continental stage this campaign, with Sint-Truiden tasting victory in just three of their 20 away Pro League fixtures during 2023-24.
Unlike Anderlecht, De Kanaries have lost the services of their talismanic striker ahead of the new campaign and season opener on the weekend, with Mauritania international Aboubakary Koita moving to Greek giants AEK Athens after bagging 15 goals in the Belgian top flight last term.
Sint-Truiden have fared woefully during away trips to Anderlecht in recent years, with De Kanaries in the midst of an eight-game losing streak at Lotto Park, with their most recent match at the venue ending in a 4-1 defeat, despite a Jarne Steuckers strike handing the visitors an early lead back in February.
Anderlecht friendly form:
Sint-Truiden friendly form :
Team News
Anderlecht are without the services of Marco Kana for the first match of the season, with the 21-year-old midfielder still recovering from an injury sustained in May.
The Purple & White are unable to call upon the talents of Thorgan Hazard, who is out until the end of the calendar year due to a cruciate ligament injury.
After netting a sensational hat-trick in a pre-season thrashing of Amiens, Robbie Ure could be in line for a shock start at Lotto Park this weekend.
With no major injury issues to contend with, Sint-Truiden could field an identical side to the one which lost their latest friendly against Ajax on July 9.
That being said, De Kanaries have welcomed two new faces to their ranks following that clash, with centre-back Shogo Taniguchi and goalkeeper Leo Kokubo hoping for their debuts on Saturday.
Anderlecht possible starting lineup:
Coosemans; Patris, N’Diaye, Simic, Angulo; Stroeykens, Leoni, Rits; Dreyer, Dolberg, Verschaeren
Sint-Truiden possible starting lineup:
Coppens; Van Helden, Godeau, Janssens; Ogawa, Delorge , Fujita, Ito, Dumont; Bertaccini, Barnes
We say: Anderlecht 2-0 Sint-Truiden
Anderlecht were sensational on home soil last season and should be very confident of continuing that form against a Sint-Truiden outfit who struggle on the road.
De Kanaries’ pre-season has been impacted by a number of cancellations to recent friendlies, and we feel that could hinder their chances of success on the opening day at Lotto Park.
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