Cercle Brugge aim to halt a dismal run when they host RSC Anderlecht in the Jupiler Pro League on Saturday. Manager Miron Muslic's side sits 17th with just three points from seven games and has lost its last five league matches.
The most recent defeat was a 3-2 loss at Charleroi on 19 September, where Dante Vanzeir and Steve Ngoura found the net. That followed home losses to Gent and Lommel United and a defeat away to city rivals Club Brugge. Their only point this season came in a 1-1 draw at OH Leuven on 12 September, courtesy of a late Krys-Anthony Madou Kouassi penalty.
Historical challenge
The historical record against Anderlecht is tough for Cercle, with just six wins in the last thirty meetings. The most recent encounter, in March this year, did see Cercle Brugge pull off a surprising 2-3 away win at the Lotto Park, offering a glimmer of hope for the home side this weekend.
Anderlecht arrives in Bruges sitting fifth in the table and has no European commitments this week. Cercle are likely to rely on the starting eleven that faced Charleroi, with Gaëtan Coucke in goal and the attacking duo of Vanzeir and Kouassi up front. The full squad is available for selection.
Kick-off at the Jan Breydel Stadium is at 16:00 local time on Saturday. A victory could lift Cercle Brugge out of the immediate relegation places. The remaining fixtures this autumn are vital for their survival hopes.
