Visitors Borussia Dortmund will be looking to build on the positive aspects of their 1-1 draw with Bayern Munich last weekend when they travel to Borussia-Park where they will face Borussia Monchengladbach in their 13th Bundesliga game of the season on Saturday.
The home team are 10th with 17 points and lost 3-1 against Freiburg on November 30, while BVB are fifth with 20 points, and Nuri Sahin's side appear to have finally found some consistency.
Match preview
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Though the hosts managed to produce just two fewer shots than Freiburg's 17, the victors were able to create four big chances and only faced one themselves.
Boss Gerardo Seoane was scathing of his players for conceding just one minute after they had halved the deficit in the 61st minute, saying: "Especially the [third] goal conceded after the 2-1 was scored at the stupidest moment. You score the goal, have a good feeling, have a few minutes with more possession, then get the 3-1 - that was groundbreaking for the final phase."
Seoane's side have scored 18 goals and conceded on 17 occasions in the top flight, records which make them the league's 10th-best offensive and eighth-best defensive team.
Die Fohlen are in mixed overall form having won two, drawn two and lost two of their six most recent games, though they have only been beaten once in their last six Bundesliga matches, achieving victory three times and drawing twice.
It should be noted that the hosts have won their past four home outings, scoring 10 and conceding three in that period.
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As for BVB, they had to settle for a point against Bayern on Saturday, a match in which they limited the Bavarians to just one shot on target in the first half but faced four attempts on target in the second.
Sahin said that his side deserved the draw, telling reporters: "I saw a very good Dortmund team today and I'm proud of the lads. We did a good job. Bayern has lots of quality. They changed the system at half-time and were able to push us back deep a few times. However, we had some good counter-attacking opportunities too."
The Dortmund boss had come under scrutiny in previous weeks for his team's performances during October – a month in which they were defeated four times – but since the start of November, the visitors have won four, drawn one and lost just one.
In fact, their 3-1 loss against Mainz 05 on November 9 can be explained in part by the fact they were reduced to 10 men in the 27th minute when the scoreline was 0-0.
BVB's form away from home has been poor this term, as while they beat Dinamo Zagreb 3-0 on November 27, they lost the prior six away fixtures.
Team News
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Borussia Monchengladbach could be without centre-back Luca Netz for a few days, so perhaps the hosts will field Marvin Friedrich and Ko Itakura in the heart of defence.
Midfielder Yvandro Borges Sanches is likely to miss out until January, though Florian Neuhaus may only miss a few more days, and this could mean Seoane starts Rocco Reitz and Julian Weigl together in the middle of the pitch in their absence.
In the forward line, Alassane Plea, Franck Honorat and Robin Hack can be expected to start behind striker Tim Kleindienst.
Borussia Dortmund will be without forward Karim Adeyemi due to a hamstring injury, as well as defender Waldemar Anton as a result of a groin issue.
Sahin could station a back four consisting of Julian Ryerson, Niklas Sule, Nico Schlotterbeck and Ramy Bensebaini in front of goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.
Striker Serhou Guirassy is certain to start, and he could be supported by Maximilian Beier, Julian Brandt and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens.
Borussia Monchengladbach possible starting lineup:
Nicolas; Scally, Friedrich, Itakura, Ullrich; Reitz, Weigl; Honorat, Plea, Hack; Kleindienst
Borussia Dortmund possible starting lineup:
Kobel; Ryerson, Sule, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini; Sabitzer, Nmecha; Beier, Brandt, Bynoe-Gittens; Guirassy
We say: Borussia Monchengladbach 2-2 Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Monchengladbach have been strong at home this term, and though their overall form is mixed, it would not be surprising if they opened the scoring.
However, Dortmund's performances have significantly improved in recent weeks, and they will hope to translate their good home form into better showings on the road.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Lewis Nolan
