Having made a far from ideal start to the season in the Belgian top flight, Anderlecht hots Lokeren on Friday evening, as they hunt for just a second win of the campaign. Just a single point separates the two teams in the standings, making this a fascinating encounter for both fans and punters alike.
Anderlecht vs Lokeren
Belgian First Division A – Constant Vanden Stock Stadium, Anderlecht – Friday 8th September – 19:30 UK Time
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Draw Best Odd of: 5/1 at Ladbrokes |
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Anderlecht
LokerenMatch Preview
Having ended last season as Champions, Anderlecht have struggled for consistency so far this time around, with manager René Weiler now under pressure to deliver for fans at the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium. Their opponents have won two of their five encounters to date, however three defeats will certainly give Anderlecht hope of climbing the table come the end of the 90 minutes.
Anderlecht Team News & Form
Anderlecht have long been the most well-known team in Belgium, with their Europa League encounter with Manchester United demonstrating just how dangerous they can be on their day. However, Rene Weiler’s men have failed to find their best form so far this season, with the absence of Youri Tielemans having seemingly hit the team hard. Anderlecht are on a run of three league games without a victory, with their previous success coming against KV Oostende back in the start of August. Having joined on loan from English Premier League side Everton over the summer, Henry Onyekuru is yet to open his account, with the whole team having scored just three goals from five fixtures. As a result, the emphasis will be on the Nigerian and Łukasz Teodorczyk to rediscover their goalscoring touch. Meanwhile, with the likes of Sofiane Hanni and Nicolae Stanciu in midfield, chances should come for the home side on Friday evening.
Lokeren Team News & Form
Despite losing their three opening league fixtures, two successive victories have seen Lokeren leapfrog Anderlecht in the table. Having finished 11th in the table last time around, Lokeren will be hoping to improve upon this position over the next ten months, with their away form crucial to this goal. Manager Peter Maes saw his side win on the road last time around at Waasland-Beveren, however a trip to Anderlecht is a completely different prospect. Belgian international striker Tom De Sutter will be the main attacking threat for the visitors, with the 32-year-old set to face-off against his former club this week.
Head to Head
Anderlecht took four points from Lokeren last season, however with just a single goal being scored during the two matches, it could well be another close encounter this time around. Lokeren have only ever defeated Anderlecht four times in their history, the last of which came back in 2014. However, with 23 wins over Lokeren to their name, it is undoubtedly Anderlecht who are the favourites for victory this time around.
Betting Odds and Predictions
Anderlecht are the 2/9 favourites for victory with bookmakers William Hill, however this is unlikely to attract customers looking for substantial winnings. As a result, backing the home side to win both the first and second half is a more appealing market, available at odds of 8/11 at Ladbrokes.
Top Betting Tip
Our top betting tip for the match is to back Anderlecht to score over 1.5 goals, which can be found at best odds of 3/10 at Ladbrokes.