Anderlecht vs Standard Liege
16 January 1730hrs
Football – Belgium – First Division A
Pick Both teams to score
Bookmaker Coral
Odds: 8/11 odds taken 2000 GMT, Friday 15 January
The top teams return to action in Belgium this weekend and the penultimate match of the round sees struggling Standard Liege take on an Anderlecht team who will feel they still have a chance of the title.
Table of Contents
Anderlecht Preview – Can Anderlecht pick up where they left off before the break to stay within touching distance of leaders?
Anderlecht remain Belgium’s most successful club but their last title win was back in 2017 and they have won only two of the last 10. It’s definitely something of a barren run for a club who have been so dominant domestically. There are some signs of encouragement more recently following a period of real mediocrity. Anderlecht sit third in the league, nine points adrift of surprise leaders Union Saint-Gilloise. Club Brugge are directly above them and two points better off returning from the winter break.
Vincent Kompany will be hoping that his team can continue on from their strong run of form immediately before the shutdown when they won five out of six (scoring 22 goals in the process) and suffered one loss in 16 league games.
Anderlecht are the joint top scorers in the league along with the leaders (50 goals each) and they have shared them about the squad. Seven players have scored four league goals or more with Dutch striker Joshua Zirkzee at the top of the list with nine goals in 19 league games.
Whilst they have suffered only one defeat at home in the league this season the number of draws is the reason they are not sitting closer to the top. Their eight draws in total is a league high.
Standard Liege Preview – Will Standard stave off relegation concerns by upsetting their hosts?
Whilst Standard Liege cannot boast the same level of success as their opponents there is no doubt their current level of performance is below expectation for the club. Standard are regular competitors in European football courtesy of their league finish but they have been more concerned with developments at the other end of the league this season. Currently in 15th place, they only have three teams below them and are four points above the relegation playoff spot.
There is some consolation that despite their low league position, Beerschot are cast adrift at the bottom so it should alleviate concerns of any imminent relegation.
Don’t miss out on other Betting Tips & Predictions 
Click here for more Betting Tips
The conundrum about this team is that they do better on the road than at home. Their return of four victories away is double what they have produced in Liege. Whilst that is somewhat encouraging as they approach this game, it is an issue which will need resolved if they are to climb the table.
Only the bottom club have scored fewer goals than Standard in the league this season. With just 22 goals they average just more than a goal a game. In contrast to their opponents, no one player has more than three goals to their name in the First Division A.
Andrelcht vs Standard Liege Betting Advice
There have been plenty of occasions where this game has has direct consequences of where the title went, whilst it is not the same heading into this game, it remains important for both clubs. Anderlecht could be 12 points behind come kick-off tomorrow and nothing less than a win would be good enough. For Standard, a win would go a long way to ensuring they are not dragged further into the fight to avoid second bottom.
It was Anderlecht who were victorious when the teams met earlier in the campaign, a narrow 1-0 win. That is one of four wins in the last six games between the two.
Key Facts – Anderlecht vs Standard Liege Betting Tip
- Anderlecht have lost just one of their 10 home matches in the league this season (five wins, four defeats)
- Standard Liege have won double the amount of games on their travels than they have at home
- The hosts have won four out the last six meetings between the two teams
I expect a similar outcome here but the recent form of the teams would suggest we can expect goals. Although Standard are not prolific, they have scored in 10 of the last 10 league games. With the home team free-scoring, both teams finding the net looks a good option here.
Best Betting Odds for Anderlecht vs Standard Liege
