Borussia Dortmund have the opportunity to continue their fine Bundesliga form when they meet relegation-threatened Hamburger SV at the Imtech Arena on Saturday afternoon.
Jurgen Klopp's side are finally starting to forget a torrid first half of the campaign, and they head into the latest test on the back of four successive league victories.
It is a run which has taken Dortmund up to 10th in the table, and with five points separating them and the relegation zone, there is pressure to look further ahead as they strive to strengthen a late bid for European qualification.
However, Klopp is likely to be without Marco Reus after the attacking midfielder was forced off in the first half of the DFB-Pokal win over Dynamo Dresden with an injury.
Despite latest reports suggesting that the injury is not serious, Dortmund are unlikely to risk him on Saturday, and his absence and doubts over Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's fitness could hand a starting spot to Kevin Kampl.
Ciro Immobile is likely to retain his place in attack following a brace against Dresden, while Sven Bender, Romand Weidenfeller and Henrikh Mkhitaryan are expected to return to the team.
The hosts have no new injury concerns, but Matthias Ostrzolek will miss out after his red card in the defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt, meaning that Ronny Marcos could be handed a recall.
Josef Zinnbauer's side start the weekend just one point above the bottom three, and he may welcome back club captain Rafael van der Vaart, who was an unused substitute in a 1-0 win when these two sides last met in October.
Hamburger SV:
Recent form: LWWLDL
Possible starting lineup: Drobny, Djourou, Rajkovic, Diekemeier, Marcos, Jiracek, Kacar, Muller, Stieber, Van der Vaart, Rudnevs
Borussia Dortmund:
Form in Bundesliga: DLWWWW
Form in all competitions: WWWLWW
Possible starting lineup: Weidenfeller, Kirch, Hummels, Subotic, Schmelzer, Bender, Gundogan, Mkhitaryan, Kagawa, Kampl, Immobile
Sports Mole says: 1-3
Callum Mulvihill
