Augsburg will be aiming to extend their unbeaten run to six matches when they host Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga on Sunday.
Frankfurt, meanwhile, were defeated for only the second time in the league this season by Stuttgart last weekend.
Match preview
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After only managing to collect five points from his opening seven matches in charge, Augsburg boss Jess Thorup appears to have settled in at his new horizons by guiding them to two wins and three draws in their last five outings.
Since dispatching Heidenheim and Wolfsburg in back-to-back matches, Augsburg have drawn three matches by the same scoreline of 1-1, with FC Koln, Hoffenheim and Union Berlin all sharing the spoils against Thorup's side.
Ermedin Demirovic's penalty looked to have inflicted a 10th successive league defeat on Union Berlin in the capital last weekend, but Kevin Volland's 88th-minute equaliser claimed a crucial point for his side. Conceding that goal was a particularly bitter pill for Augsburg to swallow, as it meant they dropped from eighth to 10th in the table.
However, surviving relegation is always the primary aim for a club of Augsburg's small resources and stature when compared to plenty of other teams in the Bundesliga, including their forthcoming opponents on Sunday. Thorup will be hoping his players can upset the odds once more to put further distance between themselves and the bottom three.
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It has certainly been a disappointing week for Frankfurt, who have suffered back-to-back home defeats to Stuttgart and PAOK. As such, they may be pleased to be setting off on their travels once again this time around.
Die Adler were sunk by high-flying Stuttgart as a result of Deniz Undav's strike at either end of the first half, after Waldemar Anton's own goal had brought the sides level. Despite having 14 shots and 58% possession, Stuttgart's goalkeeper Alexander Nubel was only forced into one save across the entire encounter at Deutsche Bank Park.
Frankfurt certainly had far greater penetration against PAOK in the Europa Conference League on Thursday, but Omar Marmoush's strike was ultimately in vein as the Greek side sealed top spot in Group G with a 2-1 victory. Toppmoller will not be too concerned about that defeat considering his side had already secured their progression to the knockout stages, but it may mean that they face a harder opponent at the last-16 stage as a result.
Ahead of travelling to third division side Saarbrucken in the third round of the DFB-Pokal on Tuesday, Frankfurt will be hoping that they can stop the rot with a positive result against Augsburg on Sunday. Having only tasted victory four times in 12 league games since his appointment during the summer, Toppmoller will know the importance of returning to winning ways sooner rather than later.
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Augsburg will remain without Raphael Framberger and Arne Maier due to injury, while Reece Oxford is still sidelined due to long COVID. Irvin Cardona's knee issue makes him unlikely to be risked, but David Colina and Frederik Winther could be back in contention after recent lay-offs.
Ruben Vargas will expect to return to the hosts' attack after only being used from the bench against Union Berlin, while Frederik Jensen also provides another option to bolster their offensive unit after missing out on that trip to the capital.
Frankfurt, meanwhile, will travel without club captain Sebastian Rode due to an ongoing calf injury. Timothy Chandler and Robin Koch have similar issues and are unlikely to be available either, while Jens Petter Hauge is struggling with a back problem.
Germany's 2014 World Cup hero Mario Gotze returned to the starting line-up against PAOK on Thursday but is unlikely to have convinced Toppmoller that he is worthy of a start in a more important match, so Ansgar Knauff may return to his preferred central attacking midfield role.
Augsburg possible starting lineup:
Dahmen; Gumny, Gouweleeuw, Uduokhai, Pedersen; Rexhbecaj, Dorsch; Jensen, Demirovic, Vargas; Tietz
Eintracht Frankfurt possible starting lineup:
Trapp; Tuta, Pacho, Smolcic; Buta, Larsson, Skhiri, Max; Chaibi, Knauff; Marmoush
We say: Augsburg 2-2 Eintracht Frankfurt
These sides have drawn plenty of games in recent times and we can envisage them sharing the spoils once again when they meet at Augsburg Arena on Sunday.
Frankfurt possess a little more quality than Augsburg, but they could be tired and deflated after suffering back-to-back losses within the last week, so they may be content to avoid defeat.
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Top tip
Brett Curtis
