Real Sociedad vs Anderlecht prediction: EUROPE: Europa League – League phase betting tips on match 2024-10-02 16:45.
[p]Real Sociedad will hope that a 3-0 victory over Valencia at the weekend injects some life into their season after an uninspiring start. Imanol Alguacil’s men had failed to win any of their previous six matches (D3, L3), a run that included a 1-1 draw with Nice on matchday one of the UEFA Europa League (UEL). Concerningly for the hosts, that was a fourth successive outing in this competition without a victory (D2, L2).[/p]
[p]Finding the back of the net has arguably been Sociedad’s biggest problem, as the victory over Valencia was the first time they’ve scored multiple goals in the same game all season! Failing to score in their last two UEL matches at the Reale Arena is far from a good omen then, nor is the fact they emerged winless from their only two prior H2Hs against Belgian opposition (D1, L1), even if those matches came way back in 1980/81.[/p]
[p]Anderlecht will be looking to take advantage of their stuttering hosts, as they sit two points better off than Sociedad after winning on matchday one. The Belgians survived a nervy ending in which they were reduced to ten men to see off Ferencváros, with that result a welcome reprieve from a five-game winless run domestically (D4, L1).[/p]
[p]Caretaker boss David Hubert will hope that the UEL continues to prove a welcome distraction, and he could oversee a slice of club history here. Having beaten Villarreal in their last meeting with Spanish opposition in March 2023, Anderlecht could win back-to-back meetings with Spanish teams for the first time since November 1984 should they emerge victorious here.[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Sociedad midfielder Brais Méndez has provided an assist in back-to-back games for La Real. European competitions suit him as well, as he’s directly contributed to eight goals in 16 appearances for Sociedad across the Champions League and UEL (G5, A3). Anderlecht’s Kasper Dolberg scored the decisive goal on matchday one, ending a run of 17 appearances in major European competition without a goal dating back to 2017![/p]
[p]Hot streak: Anderlecht have failed to score in each of their last three away matches in the main draw of the UEL.[/p]
[p][i]Written by Ryan Fisher[/i][/p]