Form guide
Union are fourth with 20 points and unbeaten after eight league games, with six wins and two draws. Their last five league games were wins of 3-0 at Sint-Truiden, 3-2 at Charleroi, 5-0 against Lommel and 2-0 at Antwerp, then a 1-1 draw with Leuven. On Thursday they beat Hapoel Be'er Sheva 4-0 in the Europa League.
Cercle are 17th with three points and have not won in eight league games (three draws, five defeats). Their last five were home defeats by Lommel (1-0) and Gent (3-0), a 1-1 draw at Leuven, a 3-2 defeat at Charleroi and a 2-1 home defeat by Anderlecht.
Head-to-head
Cercle have been awkward opponents. They won 3-2 and 3-1 at Union in 2024, and the last two meetings at Cercle were draws. Union won the most recent meeting in Brussels 2-0 in November 2025. Four of the last five meetings at Union had three or more goals.
Team news
Union are stretched. Pavlić, El Hadj, Kričfaluši, Mac Allister, Hurtevent and Schoofs are reported out, and Sykes, Rodríguez and Zorgane are doubts. No Cercle absences were reported.
Our prediction and why
Our banker is Union or draw (1X). Union are unbeaten, have won four of their last five league games and won again on Thursday, while Cercle have not won a league game all season. Union drew with Leuven last time in the league, so our rules use double chance rather than the win.
We also take Over 2.5 goals. Union have scored three or more in three of their last five league games, and Cercle scored in four of their last five visits to Union. The risk is that Union rotate after Thursday's game.