Preview: 11 points are between the contenders up until now, Standard Liège having done best. Will Mechelen strike back?
- Standard Liège have played more matches over 2,5 goals away than home.
There’s little time for restitution or working hard at the training pitch these days, with both teams having played their last game less than four days ago.
Mechelen form and stats
2-1-3 (win-draw-lost) are the Pro League numbers at home for Mechelen so far this season. When Mechelen hosts teams that live on the top of the table (like Gent, Antwerp, Club Brugge, Genk and Union Saint-Gilloise), they have won 1 of 2 matches! Mechelen has three losses from their three previous games and the tension is increasing in the dressing room for both the manager Buijs and the players.
Mechelen faced defeat in their previous match, away at Gent (0-3). Coucke had a busy but productive day in the Gent match. Despite making six saves the loss could not be prevented.
Ahead of that match, Mechelen lost 1-3 at home to Anderlecht.The bookmakers consider this a fairly even contest. One could say only the home advantage separates the teams. It could be relevant to look at how Mechelen have performed in matches similar to this (as small favourites). Our database has found 6 matches with the results: Won 4, drawn 1 and lost 1.
Lots of goals and action? We don't know about this one, but we do know that 9 of the 11 most recent league matches with this club has had three or more goals.
The match schedule is unforgiving for Mechelen as they have a new game in only three days, a Pro League match thankfully also at home. AS Eupen are visiting.
A decent goal production from Mechelen in their home games so far, with 11 goals from 6 league matches.
Standard Liège form and stats
Playing away, Standard Liège have won 3 games, drawn 0 and suffered 2 defeats in the Pro League this season. Having won their last three away games Standard has no reason to fear anyone.
Standard Liège have succeeded in guarding their own goal lately, led by their goalkeeper Arnaud Bodart. It's been 216 minutes since they last conceded in Pro League.
Standard Liège had fun at their own home (AFAS-stadion Achter de Kazerne) last time out, beating Antwerp 3-0. Drăguş, Canak and Balikwisha scored. Standard Liège delivered their win in the match against Antwerp already in the first half, and could slow the play down in the final 45 minutes to ensure the glorious victory. A solid performance! Midfield player Balikwisha was the top player of the team with a match rating of 7.8/10. Balikwisha scored one goal.
Prior to that result Standard won their away game at Sporting Charleroi. The scoreline was 1-0.As mentioned above, this is an open game with no clear favourite. We have found 11 similar matches played by Standard Liège in our archives, and the results are: 3 wins for Standard Liège, 5 draws and 3 defeats.
After this away game Standard Liège return home for a Pro League game against Anderlecht. That game is only four sleeps after this.
Scoring goals is the main ingredient in creating success in football, and not only at home. So far Standard have scored 7 goals in 5 league games away. Standard Liège's defence is not exactly unbeatable as they have conceded 8 goals from these trips.
Head 2 Head
The 4 latest games featuring these sides have all finished as Mechelen victories. Will history repeat itself?Top Goalscorers
  G. Hairemans 4 goals |  R. Schoofs 4 goals |   S. Amallah 4 goals |
Mechelen missing players
Standard Liège missing players
| Mechelen | Standard Liège | ||||||
| Total | Home | vs | Statistics | Stat | vs | Away | Total |
| 12 | 6 | 2 | Played | P | 1 | 5 | 12 |
| 3 | 2 | 1 | Won | W | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| 2 | 1 | 0 | Drew | D | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 7 | 3 | 1 | Lost | L | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| 17 | 11 | 3 | Scored | S | 1 | 7 | 19 |
| 24 | 12 | 2 | Conceded | C | 0 | 8 | 15 |
| 83% | 83% | 100% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| 83% | 83% | 100% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 0% | 60% | 75% |
| 75% | 67% | 50% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 0% | 60% | 58% |
| 42% | 50% | 0% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 0% | 40% | 33% |
| 25% | 33% | 0% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 0% | 20% | 8% |
| 50% | 50% | 0% | BTTS | BTTS | 0% | 60% | 42% |
| 25% | 33% | 50% | Clean Sheets | C S | 100% | 40% | 50% |
| 42% | 33% | 50% | Failed to Score | F T | 0% | 0% | 8% |
| 5.3 | 6 | 4.5 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 9 | 4 | 4.5 |
| 5.1 | 3.8 | 3.5 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 4 | 5 | 5.7 |
| 2.2 | 1.5 | 1.5 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 3 | 4 | 3.1 |
| 2 | 1 | 0 | Red cards | R C | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| 10.9 | 12.5 | 10.5 | Shots (avg) | S ( | 16 | 11.2 | 12 |
| 3.8 | 4.2 | 4 | Shots on Target (avg) | S O | 5 | 3.4 | 4.4 |
| 37% | 44% | 38% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 20% | 41% | 36% |
| 11.6 | 8.8 | 7 | Shots against (avg) | S A | 6 | 14 | 13.1 |
| 4.5 | 3.2 | 2.5 | Shots on Target against (avg) | S O | 3 | 3.8 | 3.8 |
- Standard Liège have played more matches over 2,5 goals away than home.
- Standard Liège have scored in all their away matches so far.
- Standard Liège haven’t played a single 0-0 game.
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Genk | 12 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 27 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 6 | 16 | 31 |
| 2 | Antwerp | 12 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 24 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 13 | 30 |
| 3 | Club Brugge | 12 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 23 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 11 | 25 |
| 4 | Union Saint-Gilloise | 12 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 25 | 16 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 17 | 11 | 9 | 25 |
| 5 | Standard Liège | 12 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 19 | 15 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 22 |
| 6 | Gent | 12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 23 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 6 | 9 | 20 |
| 7 | OH Leuven | 12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 21 | 19 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 14 | 9 | 2 | 20 |
| 8 | Westerlo | 12 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 22 | 20 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 2 | 19 |
| 9 | Anderlecht | 12 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 19 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 16 |
| 10 | Sint-Truiden | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 12 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 16 |
| 11 | Sporting Charleroi | 12 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 17 | 19 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 7 | -2 | 15 |
| 12 | Cercle Brugge | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 15 | 21 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 15 | -6 | 12 |
| 13 | Mechelen | 12 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 17 | 24 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 12 | -7 | 11 |
| 14 | RFC Seraing | 12 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 13 | 21 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 12 | -8 | 11 |
| 15 | KV Oostende | 12 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 13 | 22 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 13 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 9 | -9 | 11 |
| 16 | Kortrijk | 12 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 10 | 21 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 10 | -11 | 10 |
| 17 | AS Eupen | 12 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 10 | 25 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 13 | -15 | 9 |
| 18 | Zulte-Waregem | 12 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 12 | 26 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 18 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 | -14 | 8 |
